Pokémon: Shadow Diary
by Overfault
Summary: Five trainers journey into the world of the region of Santera, which was ruled by the heinous organizations called the Pandoras, who were trying to "perfect" the pokemons into abominations. They must face the evil group to stop them from experimenting on the pokemons before they end up creating something even worst. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Gamefreak.
1. Chapter 1 Beginning

**Long time no see everyone! How have you all been? I've been great. I was lucky enough to actually have an access to a PC. Now I wanted to continue my Paper Mario fanfiction, but I want to introduce the new one I have thought of before I do. During my time offs, I've been thinking of new ideas for my new fanfic and I have actually thought of two, a one for a Zelda series and one for a Pokemon series. As the title says, this fanfiction will be a Pokemon series one. This does not take place in the same universe as the hand-held pokemon title nor the anime, rather it will contain characters of my own and they will have their own Pokemon parties and unlike the anime, there will be more thrills; romance; and drama. Also unlike my previous fanfiction, it will be written like an actual book instead of a play. As the story progresses, you'll get the gist of what kind of story this will be. I am still working on summarizing this story, and don't worry; I have not given up on _Paper Mario: Curse of the Dark Star_. Anyway, let me introduce to you _Pokemon: Shadow Diary_. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Gamefreak, while rest of the unrecognizable characters are mine.**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 1: The Beginning<span>**

In the region of Santera, there existed a small village of Panaha, where there lived a 15-year-old girl who was waiting for the day for her to leave home to start her own pokemon adventure. The girl had long and slender blonde hair with smooth skin, wore a velvet texture skirt, wore a velvet red chappie hat, had loose sleeves on her arms with pair of trainer's gloves, wearing a white silky vest with buttons, and she wore a pair of ring patterned kneesocks and leathered boots. Her face was cheery and was really beautiful. She was dressing up and getting ready to leave while holding couple of pokeballs in her bag. She was just about to leave when her Mother called her from the house kitchen.

"Amy! You are leaving so soon? You haven't even eaten!"

The girl's mother was also attractive and judging by her apron and a braided hair down to her shoulder, she was an excellent housewife.

"Don't worry mother," Amy said, "I'm too excited to be eating anyway. Today is the day I've been waiting for all my life! I want to get started while I can"

"Well, you do appear to look like you'll become an excellent trainer. your father would have been proud."

"So long mom, I promise I'll come back strong like he was!"

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><p>As Amy took a step outside, the sunlight reflected from her bright hairs. The village of Panaha was grassy, and the environments were surrounded by many trees.<p>

"Ahh! I like the fresh air! Shall I go?" Any said in her cheery voice. Just as she was about to leave however, a boy called her name.

"AMY!" Said the voice coming from her rear. The voice belonged to a boy with brushy hair under his wool hat. He wore a sleeveless sweat shirt and a worn out pants in his sneakers. He came right in front of her, looking displeased.

"Amy, are you really thinking of leaving? We were to start an adventure together!"

"Trent get lost! This is the day I get to shine alone and I'm not going to let you ruin it! For the last time, I'm not going with you!"

Trent took out his pokeball and prepared to throw. "I bet you won't survive one battle out there! If you wanna go alone, you have to face me first!"

Amy was getting annoyed. "This again? Trent, no matter how much time I face you the result is always the same. I always win!"

"Wrong! I've toughened up since our last battle!" Trent threw his pokeball and summoned a Munchlax.

"Munch...munch..." The Muchlax was chewing on its fingers.

Amy was starting to get frustrated, but decided to play along. "Fine, I'll fight you for the last time and then I get to get out on my own, you got it?!"

Amy took out her own pokeball and threw it.

"Go Scizor!"

As she threw her ball, a giant red humanoid bug/steel type Pokemon came out of it in a dashing light.

"SCI!" Cried the pokemon as it spawned out.

"Scizor, use iron head on that chubby!"

"SCI!" At her command, the Scizor charged itself towards the Munchlax and hit its guts with its head, hard. The Munchlax fell in one hit.

"See? You didn't even fight back! I hope that'll keep you out of my sight from now on." Amy put her Scizor back in its pokeball and turned around to leave.

"Amy wait! Please give me a chance to go with you! I want to be strong with you so please! I promise I'll make it up to you I promise!"

Amy hesitated for a moment, and then decided. She spoke without turning around.

"Goodbye Trent. It's over between us."

And then she left the town, without facing Trent ever again.

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><p>The road Amy took was like a paradise, the trees were shedding their leaves and the wind blew into her dazzling hairs. A flocks of Pidgeys flew above her head and several Nidorans pased by as they were chasing each other. As she walked few steps, she was getting bored of the atmosphere.<p>

"God am I bored, I didn't think traveling like this would be boring, it's almost feels lonely." Amy took a short breath. "Maybe I should have gone out with Trent. Nah, chance of me going with him is when they stop using Pikachu as our mascot." Amy then had an idea. "Of course! I don't need to travel alone!" Amy took out one of her pokeballs and threw in in front of her.

"Go Togepi!"

As the ball hit the ground, a cute looking pokemon which was wearing its egg came out of it.

"Pii!" Cried the pokemon.

"Togepi. Wanna ride on my arms as we travel?"

"Pii!" Togepi said happily.

"Okay! Let's go!" Amy said with a great enthusiasm.

Togepi was actually the very first pokemon she have ever received. It was a gift from her late father who was also a great trainer in the past. Her father came home one day in her birthday and presented her with an egg. It was not just an egg either, it was a pokemon egg. Eventually, it hatched into the pokemon Amy was carrying right now. She cuddled it into both of her arms while locking them and cushioned the Togepi on her D-cup breast. The two traveled with happy expressions. After walking together for a while, they heard an unusual sound coming from somewhere not far away.

"What was that? Sounds like a nasty pokemon." Amy was getting excited all of the sudden. "It's about time! I was getting bored kind of. Let's go see what it is and then fight it!"

"Pii!" The Togepi was also rattled in excitement. The two hid themselves in brushes as they took a peek at the source of the snarling sound. The sound came from none other than the creepy pokemon of the forest with white hairs all over its body and had twigs for limbs.

"Snaaarrrrlll..."

"A Shiftry! A great opponent to fight as a warm up before I travel! I batter use my Scizor." Amy took out her other pokeball and looked at her Togepi. " Sorry Togepi, but you'll have to sit this one out. I'll have you be ready for actual battle soon, I promise."

"Pii!" Togepi did not complain and decided to watch her. Amy began preparing to throw her pokeball in the open.

"Go Sci..."

But before she could throw her ball, another pokemon came out of nowhere and attacked the Shiftry. It was a flaming canine; any pokemon trainers would recognize it as a Growlith.

"GAR!" The Shiftry cried and attempted to retaliate at its attacker, but the Growlith was too quick to even hit. Amy saw the puppy move in amazement.

"Wow, that Growlith is tough! I wonder if it belongs to someone." Amy began searching for anyone who might own the Growlith, but forgot about it as she saw the Shiftry firing its bullet seeds at it. Growlith managed to burn the seeds with its ember attacks. Just then a distinct voice was heard from nowhere commanded the Growlith.

"Growlith! Finish it off with Close Combat!"

"Ruff!" The canine barked and began to attack the shiftry with its multiple bites and kicks. After a few hits from it, the Shiftry grew tired. It could not take any more hits and fell to its knees. Just then, some kind of a pokeball was thrown at it and as it hit the weakened pokemon, it disintegrated into the ball. The ball shook once, twice, and then trice; the ball made a *click* sound, confirming that the pokemon got captured into it. The same distinct voice spoke once more from the direction where the ball was thrown.

"The pokemon has been subdued and captured, returning the telepokeball to the base." The telepokeball turned into a ball of light and warped somewhere. After it got vanished, the owner of the voice came into view. The trainer was a young boy with pale skin with grey hairs wearing an eye patch over his scarred left eye. He also had a half-worn sports jacket that wasn't zipped all the way and a dark grey jeans with pair of army-styled boots. The boy had an expression of a person with deep melancholy, but he looked handsome nevertheless. He looked at his Growlith with his indigo eye and praised him.

"Nice work Growlith, here's your reward." He threw some kind of a biscuit at it and the pokemon happily ate it in one bite.

"Ruff!" Growlith barked. The boy was about to leave, unaware that he had been watched by someone not close by until she started to shout.

"That was totally awesome!" Amy cried, it seems she was amazed by the boy's battling skills. The boy was startled by her sudden compliment, apparently he did not expect to have someone witness his capturing mission.

'Crap, I didn't think anyone was around here.' The boy thought to himself, looking bitter. Amy approached him and began talking to him.

"Say, how did you managed to take out that fully grown pokemon with a rookie pokemon? Do you have experience with battles? Can you show me more?" Amy continued asking questions, and the boy was getting bothered by her presence. Finally, he spoke to her.

"Um...look," he started. "I appreciate your compliments, but as much as I love to stay and chat, I've got places to get going so...it would be best if you let me be off. Farewell." The boy attempted to leave, but Amy stopped him.

"Wait please!" Amy cried. "I'm sorry to be a burden to you. I was just amazed by how you dealt with that pokemon and I could resist. I'm planning to begin my journey as a trainer so..."

"Is that so?" The boy responded. "I see you've got a great start, having a pokemon that's attached to you like that." He said as he saw her Togepi holding onto her leg.

"Thanks." Amy said. "So, can you tell me a bit of tips for starting before I go?" Amy was begging with her cute looking expression, as was her Togepi. The boy however was not amused by her cute looks, but decided to help her anyway.

"If you wish to be a trainer, you'll need a trainer's identification card." The boy said. "You do have one, right?"

Amy hesitated before answering. "Um, I don't think so. I was never told about that before I began. Can you tell me how to obtain one?" The boy looked at her for a while, looking displeased.

"To start your journey as a pokemon trainer, you need a trainer's ID card and a pokedex. You usually can procure both of them from a pokemon professor." The boy paused. "Luckily for you, there's one living in a town not far from here. Head to the Torace town and find Professor Mapelar's lab. With any luck, he could built you a pokedex and get you the ID card. I hope that helps."

Amy looked relieved. "Oh thank you! I'll head over there now. Bye!" Amy left in a hurry, the boy watched her leave and then vanished. As she ran toawrds the direction he pointed at, she began wondering, "Huh, I forgot to ask for his name, I might not run into him again. Oh well, C'mon Togepi return to your ball."

"Pi!" Togepi said before Amy shot a return beam from her pokeball at it and the pokemon went inside. Amy forgot all about the boy and dashed towards the next town ahead of her.

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><p>The Torace town wasn't big as Panaha, but there were a lot more residence than there. Amy looked around and saw the locals walking around houses and shops which were average compared to any larger towns. As she walked around, she saw a brand of a certain organization marked on signs all over the area. The logo looked like three different diamonds aligned to make a box and had a hidden letter "P" in the center. Amy thought to herself in disgust.<p>

"Pandoras. So they own this area as well. Terrific."

Pandoras were organizations that pretty much ruled the entire Santera region. Whenever there was a town with their markings on it, meant that they owned that town. Pandoras uphold the laws and discriminates those who breaks them. Like modern day police, Pandoras watch the region's citizens to see if they understand who's the boss around here. What makes them loathsome was that they sometimes abuse their powers and treat the locals like garbage. Amy hated them for that, deeply, and she has another reason to despise them; a personal reason. Despite her hatred of them however, she knew it was never wise to cross with them, so all she could do was to ignore them. As she walked a bit farther, she saw one of the Pandora troops harassing some of the local childrens. Amy approached the scene quietly. The kids were strict with fear by the heavily suited man.

"So, you think you are tough eh?" The Pandora troop said. "Uh, yeah! I'm gonna be strong!" A boy said.

"Then why don't you join our organization then? We'll toughen you up I swear it!" The grunt said.

"No!" The boy shouted. "I want to be a free trainer, not one of you guys who follows rules all the time!"

The grunt became furious. "Well then, I'm just gonna have to take you by force! We'll have a nice chat with your parents and we'll make sure you turn out strong! I wish to teach you some manners while I'l at it." The grunt grabbed the kid and the kid struggle.

"Help! Let me go!" The other kids ran away, and the grunt refused to let him go. "How do you expect to be strong if you are gonna cry like that?! Don't worry, you'll be soon."

"No!" The boy yelled as if he was in pain. Amy could not watch anymore and decided to step in.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Amy shouted. The grunt saw her coming towards him and dropped the boy he was holding onto to the ground. The boy ran away, crying.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you know the consequences for getting in between Pandora business?!"

"You call yourself the league of justice?!" Amy yelled. "All you guys do is put fears into people and convince them to join you by force! I'm not gonna stand by and watch you harass them anymore!" Amy took out her pokeball and pointed it at the grunt. "I'm gonna take you out, and when I do; you are to get out of here!"

The grunt did not take her kindly to her threat. "You made a mistake challenging an officer of the Pandoras! Challenging us would be like betraying the region you are standing on! Very well, I shall take you out and take you to our training ground instead! I'll teach you not to mess with me!" The grunt pulled out his own pokeball and threw it. "Go Raticate!" As the ball hit the ground, a brown rat pokemon came out of it.

Amy also began throwing her pokeball. "Go Scizor!" And then her Scizor appeared at the battlefield, all fired up for battle.

"Sci!" Scizor was waiting for her command. "Use fury cutter on that rodent!" The Scizor began swiping its claws at the Raticate and scratched it.

"RAHH!" Raticate took the hit, and the grunt did not like it one bit.

"Grr! You'll pay for that! Use hyper fang!" The Raticate charged towards her Scizor and used its fangs to bite it. Though the attack didn't do much damage, Scizor didn't feel good from its attacks.

"Sci..." Scizor shrugged the pain and got back to its battle stance. Amy was ready to command it again.

"Scizor, show that rat that you are superior compared to that thing. Knock it off with Superpower!"

"Zor!" The Scior glowed and began to emit a fiery flame. It was prepared to go all out against the Raticate. The Scizor charged itself towards it and landed a powerful impact on it. The move was so powerful that it knocked the pokemon towards its trainer.

"RaH!" The Raticate was heading towards the grunt. "Oh cra..."The grunt took a blow from the fainted pokemon that got blasted towards his gut. The grunt got back up angrily after returning his Raticate to his ball.

"Grr. I'll remember this! You'll regret the day you've crossed the Pandora!" The grunt retreated. Amy was happy that she won and gave her pokemon a huge hug.

"You did it Scizor! You were amazing out there!" She hold on to it tightly.

"Sci...zor..." The pokemon blushed, it became shy from her praising it. "Okay Scizor, return!" She returned the Scizor back to its pokeball.

"Hmm...looks like I messed up big time. Angering a Pandora like that." Amy was shocked at herself for what she just did. No one has ever stood up to the Pandora group like she did just now. People were now looking at her, puzzled. One of them who witnessed the battle started coming towards her.

"Well, I'll be." Amy turned to the person who just spoke. The person was a girl with a cyan-colored hairs tied into a ponytail. She wore a long-sleeve silky shirt over a mid-long skirt and wore a pair of high-heeled shoes, and she wore a pair of glasses. the girl approached Amy as if she was interested in her.

"I'm surprised to finally see someone brave enough to stand up against one of those Pandora guards. Of course, for that you just made it into their kill list. I should say that you were pretty impressive despite your inability to lose your cool like that."

Amy was not liking where this conversation was heading to. "Um, may I ask who you are and what rights do you have to criticize me?" Amy asked the girl.

"Oh, pardon me. My name is Rebecca and I was in the middle of shopping for some equipment I was making. As you can see, I am an learning to make gadgets for my work. I was heading back when I saw you dealing with that Pandora grunt. I was quite surprised, but at the time I was amused."

"And your point is?" Amy asked and then Rebecca answered. "I am actually trying to recruit people to handle people like the Pandoras. They have done things that upset the nature of pokemon. Unfortunately, we lack the capability to stop them on our own, so I was hoping to find great traininers like you to join us. We've recruited two so far, and if you join us our mission against them will be a lot easier."

"And you think I would join you? We've just met, and I hardly even know you. For I know you might be one of them to lure me into their traps!" Amy accused. Rebecca looked at her, looking concerned, and then she spoke once more.

"Look, I may be claiming a lot of things but let me assure you one thing, I am NOT with the Pandoras; I guarantee that. I may be pushing it, but seeing your battle with that grunt allowed me to see the potential you have. It would be a waste to let you slide without you giving it a thought."

"Listen," Amy replied, "I just got to start on my journey so that I can travel on my own, not join some rebels to do some suicide mission. Now if you excuse me, I wish to continue my journey as a pokemon adventure. I'm looking for Professor Mapelar's lab. He can help me to get started."

"Professor Mapelar?" Rebecca was stunned. "Well you are lucky to have run into me. I work for him!"

Amy was just as surprised as Rebecca is. "Wha...really?!"

"Sure!" Rebecca answered. "I was on my way back to meet him when I saw you battling that grunt. If you like, I can take you to him. I assure you, that you'll be satisfied. What do you say?"

Amy was getting excited, but for a moment she thought what if this was a ruse to get her trapped. But she also needed to start somewhere if she was to become a trainer. Amy decided that she had no choice and decided to follow her.

"Okay fine." Amy replied. "But no funny business, you hear? I already am feeling uneasy for causing trouble with the Pandoras."

Rebecca was joyous and said, "You won't have to worry about that if you joined our cause. We'll just have to see if you'll be willing to join later. By the way, I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, it's Amy." Amy answered.

"Nice to meet you Amy! Okay, we stalled long enough. Shall we be on our way? Follow me to the lab." Rebecca began guiding her to their designated destination, Amy followed her without having any other choice. Will Amy meet the professor and be able to start on her journey? Who really is Rebecca and what was she planning? Only time will tell.

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><p><strong>So how do you like the story so far? If you guys liked it, I might focus on updating this story more than my other one. As you can see, this is like the anime, except that it doesn't have a boring protagonist like Ash Ketchem. Yeah, Amy might probably make a better character than he did. Now, my other fanfiction took a lot longer because it required calculating the characters' stats like they were in the game. In this one though, I don't really have to do any of that stuff, I can just simply describe. Hopefully, I won't have to describe to you guys what the pokemons look like since almost everyone knows this series, I'll just specifically describe the characters that you guys don't know and never heard of. This adventure won't be like the ones from the hand-held games, as you noticed; for instance: No Starter Pokemons. They each will start off with the ones they already have. Anyway, I'll try to update this story as much as possible. Comment to me if you liked it. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2 Start

**How is the story so far? You can't really say much about with one chapter can you? Well, I posted the second one like I promised. Let's get it on!**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 2: Start<span>**

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><p>The two girls were walking towards the top of a hill in the edge of Torace town. Professor Mapelar's lab was just ahead. The building was built on the edge of the cliff where there was a wide balchony where one could see the whole view of the town from. Amy looked at the three stories building with amazement, not believing that it's even a lab.<p>

"Wow, that's a lab?" Amy asked. "This professor must be rich huh?"

Rebecca respected her amazement and responded, "The professor liked to see the great view while he works. Anyway, here we are."

The girls have made it to the front entrance of the lab. The nerdy girl took out her ID card and slide it to the card scanner at the entrance, and the door slided open automatically. "Well then, shall we enter?" Rebecca entered the building followed by Amy.

The inside looked even much magnificent as the exterior, the place was futuristic with never before seen equipment all over the place. Up ahead, there was a cylinder-shaped elevator surrounded by glass, followed by a spiral staircase around it. Rebecca led Amy to the elevator and the two entered.

"Is this place really a lab?" Amy said.

"Yes it is, professor outdone himself when he got it built. Anyway, he should be in his office next floor above us." Rebecca pressed the 3rd floor button in the elevator and the door closed. The shaft began to ascent to the next floor above. As it arrived, the two girls exited the elevator and made it to a large room. The room looked like a giant living room filled with large windows and furniture made from glass and stained steel. Upon arrival, there was a figure looking outside the window. The figure belonged to a middle aged man with bushy brown hairs wearing a lab coat. Amy can just assume that this person was the professor she wanted to meet. Rebecca approached the figure with a wave with her arm.

"I'm back!" Rebecca said, and the man turned around to see who called him.

"Rebecca! You've returned! Glad to see you back home sweetheart!" The professor said.

'Sweetheart?' Amy thought to herself.

"I've always come home carefully you know, dad!" Rebecca said. Amy was surprised after hearing her last word.

"Dad?! You are his daughter?!" Amy asked, flabbergasted.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't quite mentioned it huh?" Rebecca said, embarrassed. "Well, let me make a proper introduction. This is Professor Mapelar, the researcher working in Torace town, and he's my biological flesh and blood father." As Rebecca made the introduction, the professor approached Amy slowly.

"Why, Rebecca." The Professor said. "You didn't tell me you were gonna bring a guest home!"

"Yeah well," Rebecca said sheepishly, "I ran into her on the way and saw her battle. I thought she might be well, perfect for our new 'recruitment' after seeing her battle."

The Professor raised his eyebrow, "You are a trainer? How impressive."

"Well, sort of." Amy said slowly. "I do know how to use Pokemons in battle, but I don't have any licence to do actual battles. Also, I was told to get a pokedex and the trainer card here so that's why I was trying to look for you. So if it's not really a trouble, can you help me with all that?"

Professor Mapelar looked at Amy for several seconds. The girl had potential but lacked experience. However, she was also promising and if she did went out on her own in the world, she just might be able to learn and adapt. After inspecting her for a moment, he responded. "Hmm, you do seem to wield potentials to become a trainer, I can pretty much tell you that much. Yes, I could help you get the necessities."

Amy was delighted to hear that. "Oh thank you!" Amy said.

"However, you should know," Professor continued, "That I wasn't expecting anyone starting to start his or her pokemon trainer today, so I wasn't able to prepare a pokedex as of now."

After hearing that, Amy was a bit dissapointed. "But don't worry," Professor said, "I can have a pokedex ready for you before evening. If it's not much trouble, I ask that you wait until I finished building one. At the mean time, feel free to look around. My daughter can help you with getting the trainer's ID card, also there are couple more trainers in this building; feel free to meet them while waiting."

Amy felt relieved to hear that, and thought that his suggestion wasn't such a bad idea. "Okay, I guess that's fair." Amy said.

"Splendid! I'll have that pokedex ready for you." Professor turned to Rebecca now. "Rebecca dear, please escort the young miss to the photo room for photographing her mugshot to the ID card and send it to me. I'll deal with it later."

"Sure!" Rebecca said, "Okay Amy, please follow me to the room." Amy obliged right away and the two girls made it back to the elevator shaft.

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><p>The two made their way to the 2nd floor and started talking along the way. Amy was getting curious of how to begin as a trainer and began questioning Rebecca along the way. Amy got some head tips about pokemons and each from unique categories. Amy mostly wanted to learn about egg groups because her dream is to be a pokemon caretaker and a breeder. The girls made it to an empty room containing a single stool and a light stand.<p>

"Okay Amy," Rebecca said, "Sit on that stool and face me with a nice smile." Amy went and took a sit at the stool and faced Rebecca, who was holding some kind of a camera. Amy then showed her smiling face, which looked nice on her.

"Like this?" Amy asked while smiling. "Perfect!" Rebecca said after taking her picture.

"Okay I'm gonna send this photo to my dad's office and then he'll take care of the rest." Rebecca said with her own smile. "As for your pokedex though, it'll take a bit longer, so while we wait for that to be done, why don't you meet couple more trainers here? I'm sure they'll be pleased to see another trainer in this building."

Amy was nervous now, she has never met anybody outside of her hometown who were also wielding pokemons like her. She wondered if any of them were good as her, or even better than she was. "Oh well." Amy said, "It's not like I have anything better to do while I wait for my ID and pokedex."

"Good then!" Rebecca was delighted, "I'll lead you to the lounge where they are usually at."

The two girls left the room and started walking through a hallway surrounded by glass containing environmental rooms containing another pokemons. As the girls walked by, Amy saw the pokemons as if she's looking at them in a zoo. After few more steps, she gave attention to the glass containing a rather familiar pokemon, it was a Shiftry; the same one which she saw just this morning.

"Shriiii..."The Shiftry growled.

"Tha...that's..." Amy reacted from seeing the Shiftry. Rebecca noticed Amy looking at the Shiftry and began talking.

"Oh, that's a pokemon which got loose very recently. One of the trainer working here managed to apprehend it before it could go rogue on the nearby towns people. We plan to keep it in here until it calms down. Poor guy though, right?" Rebecca wanted to sympathize for the pokemon and for Amy's sake, believing that Amy didn't like the idea of imprisoning a pokemon.

"A trainer working here." Amy began talking. "Did this trainer happen to be wearing an eye-patch and his jacket only half-worn?"

Rebecca was surprised to hear her describe. "Why yes! How did you know?"

"I ran in to him some time ago and witnessed him fight that thing on my way to the Torace town. He was incredible." Amy was starting to remember the boy which she thought she might never meet again.

"You don't say." Rebecca said.

"Yeah!" Amy replied. "In fact, it was him who told me to find Professor Mapelar to start on my journey. I wanted to thank him properly but I went out in a hurry. Now that I know that he works here, I now have the chance to do so! Is he here?"

"I don't know, he didn't contact me so I'll say no." Rebecca saw the looks on Amy, who seems to have felt a bit down.

"Bummer, oh well, I guess I can wait for him. I never caught his name either." Amy looked like she was ready to meet him again.

"His name is Eric," Rebecca suddenly said, "He's quite a character when you get to know him. I've seen him battle, he's a great trainer; you'll be surprised."

"I'm already surprised by him. Eric, huh?" Amy start wondering.

"Well then," Rebecca started, "Allow me to introduce you to another trainer here then. Follow me." Rebecca guided Amy out of the hallway full of containers and towards the lounge.

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><p>The two girls finally made it to the room of their destination. The lounge was big, surrounded by steel walls and had multiple tables. The seats looked like the ones you find in fancy restaurants and the window had a great view of the outside. Apparently, they could access the balcony from here as well. In the room contained several pokemons, and a lonely girl sitting alone with her Murkrow sitting on her shoulder.<p>

"And here we are!" Rebecca said. "This is the lounge. This is where the trainers come to rest after working here." Amy looked around and was amazed.

"Wow, it's bigger than my living room!" While Amy was gazing around, something came towards her. Amy looked down to see what it was and saw that it was a single Golette, who was offering a drink to her.

"Lette?" The Golette said, apparently, it was serving a hot latte.

"Uh...thanks I guess." Amy took a cup from the tray it was holding and the pokemon walked away with the rest.

"See that girl over there?" Rebecca pointed at the lone girl sitting with her Murkrow. "she's also a trainer, come."

Amy and Rebecca went towards the lonely girl, who was playing tarot cards by herself. The girl looked freaky; wearing traditional Japanese dark gowns with sash and she had a dark aura around her. The girl had pale skin and had a slender dark hairs flowing down to her back. She looked like she wore make ups, like eyelid coloring and slender eyelashes with peachy cheeks and her lip is red as cherry. The girl was focused on her cards that she didn't bothered to look at the other two girls standing by her.

"Hey, Ingrid. Are you busy?" Rebecca said to the dark-haired girl.

"Very much, I wish to gaze upon my future. Whether it would be joyous or tragic." Girl named Ingrid had a low-toned voice, and her expression looked bizarre, as if never knew what it felt like to be happy. Amy have never net anyone with such melodrama. Rebecca continued after adjusting her glasses.

"Um, anyway I'd like to introduce you to Amy." Amy waved a bit after Rebecca gestured towards her. "She just might be our new recruit so I figured you should meet."

"I see." Ingrid said. The Golette that was serving latte moved towards her can offered her some. Ingrid grabbed one of the cups on its tray and said, "Nice to meet you then, I hope we get along," without facing Amy. Ingrid took a sip of her latte and made a sour look. "Ugh...this latte isn't hot enough. I'll fix that."

Ingrid hold the cup of latte in front of her and placed her other hand beneath the cup. Then suddenly, she made fire come out of her palm and heated the latte above it. It was as if she casted a magic to summon fire out of nowhere, which puzzled Amy.

"Wow, what was that, magic?" Amy asked.

"Something like that," Ingrid answered. "Once we get to know each other better, I might explain a bit about it." Amy nodded in agreement. Rebecca then interfered.

"I see you got along with each other already. It's a great start." Rebecca concentrated on Ingrid now, who continued drinking her latte. "Anyway Ingrid, have Eric come back yet?"

"Not yet." Ingrid responded. "I tried to predict the time of his arrival, but unfortunately he's too unpredictable. He might be back soon though." Ingrid fed her Murkrow sitting on her shoulder a piece of biscuit without looking away from her tarot cards. The girls continued talking until they heard something. A distant footstep coming from just outside the lounge.

"That must be him right now." Rebecca said, and she and Amy moved closer towards the door. As they got closer, a person came into the room. He was the same boy who Amy met back on her way to Torace town. The boy named Eric entered the lounge with no emotions whatsoever. Rebecca approached him, looking upset.

"Where were you?" She demanded. "I thought you said you would return right after recapturing that Shiftry!"

"I've been doing some surveillance." Eric said. "I was checking up on the Pandoras from distance. They seem to be behaving differently than usual for some reason."

"Well, anyway," Rebecca turned to Amy. "This is Amy, who might become our asset later. I believe you two have already met."

Eric faced Amy and then turned away. "Ah right, I did. Good to see you again. How's it going with your journey so far?"

"Well," Amy started, "I just spoke to the professor and I'll be getting my pokedex and my ID soon. Also, I wish to thank you for the advice earlier, since I couldn't thank you properly."

"Don't thank me." Eric said. "I've only told you what should be obvious to anyone." Eric took a cup of latte from the Golette who offered it to him and then took a seat.

"So, once you receive the dexter and the ID card, what will you do?" Eric asked, "Will you be joining us?" The question puzzled Amy for a while and then she responded.

"Um, I'm sorry but," She started, "But you guys keep asking if I'll be joining you guys. What am I going to be signing up for anyway?"

"I've told you before" Rebecca said, "I think you would be a great addition to our cause against the Pandoras. I've seen you battle and I think you've got the right potentials. So what do you say?"

"I'm not really sure." Amy answered, looking uncertain. Eric looked at Rebecca and asked, "You've seen her potential?"

"Yes." Rebecca answered. "I saw her battling a Pandora grunt and she was incredible. I think she'll make a great addition for us."

Eric was now facing Amy, looking upset. "You have encountered the Pandoras?" Amy nodded and Eric continued. "No wonder they began to act strange. Your action against them might now become a liability to our missions now."

Amy looked puzzled and responded, "Hey, if I didn't challenge him, he could have hurt the little kids he was harassing!"

"And what gave you the right to interfere?" Eric countered, "You may had a good intention, but by getting in between other people's business can sometimes cause a war which may cause even more casualties, especially if those people happens to be the Pandoras. I'm not certain wheteher you are brave or simply asinine."

Amy was getting frustrated by his criticism and said, "Are you telling me to just let them harm the kids and just walk away?!"

"It may be painful, but under certain circumstances it is more wise to do nothing. Whatever happens to those kids should not be anyone's concern, not yours especially."

Amy could not believe what he just said. "How could you think that?! It's natural to be helping people when they are helpless you know!"

"Then tell me," Eric said, "Would you still help people, even if it might lead to cause even much more harm towards others? Would you sacrifice hundreds for a sake of one life? If you wish to be a hero, then be considerate with the possible results." Eric paused, Amy was about to say a word but Eric cut her off. "You may have what it takes to be a great trainer, which I don't doubt you will, but if you intend to be reckless; you won't be qualified to join us."

Amy was getting madder by every words he was spurting. She then took out her pokeball and glared at him. "You know what?" She said, "I think I am going to join this group of yours and prove to you that I'll be qualified!" Amy pointed her pokeball at him. "I challenge you to a battle!"

Eric saw her determination and knew she wasn't joking. "You would challenge me? Very well." He then took out his own pokeball. "I accept your challenge, if you win then I'll take back every words I have said in my criticism to you."

"And if I lose?" Amy asked.

"I'll decide on that after our battle." Amy did not like the sound of that, but she was still willing to battle him. Rebecca approached the two while linking her arms.

"If you two are going to battle, then I know a perfect place to do so." She then approached the doorway. "Follow to the basement." She said and led everyone out of the lounge.

* * *

><p>The room Rebecca led the group was a large battlefield, surrounded by metallic concretes and stained-steel floor. Amy was standing at one end of the battling ground while Eric stood at the other.<p>

"You should turn away from this while you've got the chance." Eric taunted.

"What's the matter? Afraid that you'll lose to me? I don't think I'll turn my back on this!" Amy said with strict tone.

"You've got guts, if only if you had instincts as well." Eric took a breath and said, "Fine then, we'll battle as we've planned. How many pokemons do you have?"

"I've got two!" Amy said.

"Laughable, I have four." Eric pointed.

"Well um..." Amy hesitated for a bit and said. "...well I bet I'll only need two!"

"Really?" Eric said. "I highly doubt that." Eric paused. "How about this? I'll only use two of my pokemon as well, in order to even the playing field. No fun in battling one-sided."

Rebecca approached Amy in a hurry while Eric was choosing which pokemons to use.

"Okay, if you are really planning to do this battle, then listen well." Rebecca said. "Know what move to use against your opponent that has the advantage to your pokemon. Also, this will be a two on two battle, so I highly recommend that you use your weaker pokemon first. You are better off using your best as a last resort, believe me."

"Thanks for the tip." Amy said, and the nerdy girl returned to her spot next to Ingrid, who was also watching the battle. The two trainers facing off took out their pokeballs and prepared to throw.

"You ready?" Eric asked.

"Of course!" Amy responded.

"Then bring it on." Eric said and the two threw their pokeballs.

"Let the battle begin!" The two said in unison and their pokemons popped out of their pokeballs. Amy send out her Togepi, which stood in its place as it got summoned. Eric's pokemon spawned as well. It was a pokemon that looked like a sword, hiding in what appears to be a scabbard.

"Pii!" Togepi said in excitement.

"Oohh..." moaned the other pokemon called Honedge.

"Wow, a Togepi" Rebecca said, impressed. "You don't see rare pokemon like that nowadays." Ingrid nodded in agreement.

"Ladies first." Eric taunted her and allowed Amy to go first.

"You asked for it!" Amy shouted. "Togepi! Use **Round** on that thing!"

"Pii!" Togepi said and it prepared to send a large soundwave towards the sword pokemon.

"PPPIIII!" Togepi send out its soundwave towards the pokemon. The move looked devestating, except that the move did nothing to the Honedge what so ever.

"..." The Honedge just stood there without even budging from the attack.

"What the," Amy began. "Why didn't it work?"

"Pii?" Togepi also wondered.

Rebecca face-palmed in disbelief. "Ouch, what a bad start. Looks like she isn't aware of type advantage yet."

"I know she's just started," Ingrid said. "But I didn't think it would be serious."

Amy still could not figure out why the move didn't effect the Honedge. "Why didn't that move work on it?"

"How stupid are you?" Eric began. "Every trainers should know that a normal type attacks will not work on ghost-types pokemons whatsoever, and _vice versa_."

Eric paused and then said, "I gave you a free chance to strike and you've returned the favor with disappointment. And now it is my turn to attack."

"Oh crap." Amy's blood turned cold.

"Honedge, use **Metal Claw**!"

The sword pokemon took out its sash-like arms which started glowing, and then began brandishing it towards Amy's Togepi. The Togepi took the hit, which caused big damage on it.

"PPI!" Togepi screeched from the pain from the attack and then it fell on its back.

"Togepi!" Amy yelled.

"I think I know how this battle will turn out already." Ingrid said. "I don't even need to start my fortune telling ritual to figure it out."

"Togepi!" Amy said. "Please get up! I know you can keep up, I know you can!"

Togepi struggled for a while and then it got back on its feet.

"Yay! I knew you could!" Amy was proud of it.

"Incredible." Rebecca said in astonishment. "Togepi should not have withstood that attack, since it's a fairy-type; which means it should be weak to steel-type attack like **Metal Claw**."

"Hm, your Togepi managed to survive." Eric said. "I'm impressed. But it won't last long. I guess it's your move now."

"Okay Togepi." Amy began. "If you can't use your attacks on it, I guess the only thing you can to is use **Metronome**!"

"Pii!" The Togepi started waving its little arms like the rhythmic metronome. After a few wave, it began unleashing a random move at Honedge. The move summoned a little bugs attacking the sword pokemon. The move seems to have done some damages to it, but it wasn't much. The little bugs flew away and vanished.

"Wow," Ingrid said. "I think that move was **Attack Order**. Quite an improvement from her last attempt."

"Yeah but," Rebecca started speaking. "But a bug-type move won't do much against a pokemon like Honedge, since it's steel _and_ ghost type."

"Nice job," Eric said. "But I'm afraid that it won't be enough. Honedge, finish it off with **Metal Claw** once more!"

"Ho!" The Honedge swung its metallic arm again and landed its attack on Togepi.

"PPIII!" Togepi took the hit once more, only this time, it couln't take the hit and fainted from it.

"Piiii..." Togepi started mumbling.

"Togepi!" Amy brought out her pokeball and attempted to return it to it.

"You did okay Togepi, return." The pokemon returned to the pokeball at her command.

"Are you still certain that you would win?" Eric said. "So far, you've only accomplished in humiliating yourself. Why don't you quit?"

"Pff! I'm not quitting! Ever!" Amy brought out her second pokeball. "Because I'm about to send out my best pokemon!"

She then threw the pokeball out in the field. "Go Scizor!"

The red-humanoid bug pokemon popped out of her pokeball and stood in its battle stance. "Zor!"

"Oh, now the battle is on." Rebecca said. "Let's see how it will turn out now."

"Scizor huh?" Ingrid said. "Another interesting pokemon she was carrying.

As Amy's Scizor appeared on the field, the battle started to become tense. Will she be able to beat Eric? Only time could tell.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for not updating this sooner, I rarely get the chance to get on the computer anymore. Anyway, how's the story so far? Four out of five trainers that will be journeying together got introduced now. I'm sure you all will be interested on how it will turn out. The next chapter will come, you just have to be patient for it. Until then folks!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3 Shock

**I've been waiting for posting this, now that I did, shall we continue?**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 3: Shock<span>**

* * *

><p>The battlefield now consisted of Scizor and a Honedge. Amy believed that she could win, after all, she have never lost a battle with it; even though her past battle only involved her childhood friend who never really tried.<p>

"C'mon Scizor!" Amy exclaimed. "Let's win this thing!

"Sci!" Scizor was also pumped up for this battle.

Eric was amused, seeing Amy's determination rise to another level, the question was whether she can win with it now.

"It appears," Eric said, "that you are holding onto quite an interesting asset after all. This battle is just getting better and better. Nevertheless..." Eric pointed ahead. "Honedge, fight metal to metal with **Metal Claw**!"

"Hone!" The Honedge charged itself towards its opponent with its metallic sash arm.

"Scizor!" Amy cried. "Fury Cutter!"

"Zor!" The Scizor also brought out its pincers and charged towards the Honedge. When the two pokemons collided, they began clashing their limbs towards each other. Like two rapiers clanging towards each other while fencing, in great speed they continuously parried their attacks. The two girls watching the battle were impressed by how the battle turned out.

"Amazing," Rebecca started. "Both trainers are showing everything they've got. Surely the two can bring the storm when working together."

"I'm getting dizzy." Said Ingrid.

The two pokemons fighting were starting to wear off from their attacks, after noticing the change in their pace, Eric decides to change tactic.

"If this keeps up, I'll get a headache." Eric said. He paused for a while and said, "Honedge, lose its reach and blast your **Shadow Ball** at it."

The Honedge got four feet away from Scizor's pincers and started swinging itself after coming out of its scabbard. The sword pokemon glowed its blade-like tip with darkness and brandished itself, hurling a ball of shadow at Scizor. The ball made direct hit to Scizor, and the pokemon took small damage from it.

"Sci..." The pokemon brushed off the pain from the attack and got back on its battle stance.

"Scizor!" Amy cried, "Don't let its attack get the best of you! I know you are stronger than that! Now hit it hard with your **Iron Head** attack!"

"ZOR!" The scizor started shining itself with metallic coating and began charging its head at Honedge. It first moved itself slowly, and before hitting it, it became super fast. When its head landed on the sword pokemon, the pokemon clashed into it, causing painful aftermath on it. The impact was so powerful that the Honedge flew towards the direction it was being aimed at. The pokemon flew right past Eric who dodged it when it was coming his way. Honedge crashed to the wall behind him and landed on the floor afterwards. Honedge laid down, feeling dizzy, indicating that it was unable to battle anymore. Eric turned to the front once more and after sighing he returned it back to his pokeball without even facing it.

"Wow, she actually did her best that time." Rebecca said.

"I don't think it really matters until she finishes this battle." Ingrid pointed.

"Ha! What did I tell you?!" Amy exclaimed. "Maybe I _can_ beat you after all!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Eric said. "You haven't beaten me yet. I must remind you that I have yet to dispense my second pokemon." Eric brought out another pokeball from his bag. "Truth be told, I wasn't really trying on our battle so far. But now, I _will_ get serious." He threw his pokeball towards the battlefield, and spawned a pokemon out of it. The pokemon he summoned was long, with two limbs wielding its massive claws, and its fangs made it look much more dangerous. It was dark but also glowed electricity out of its markings on its body.

"GGRRAAWWWLLL!" Cried the pokemon.

"What...what is that?" Amy said, apparently the pokemon was unfamiliar to her.

"Sci..." Her Scizor also stood there looking at its new opponent. The two girls watching were also surprised by its summon.

"My goodness," Rebecca began. "He send out his currently best pokemon by far. He really does intend to take this battle seriously."

"Hm, this should be interesting." Ingrid said.

The battlefield now contained two powerful looking pokemons, that were standing between two trainers guiding them. Amy was trembling a bit in fear now, after feeling brave before the new pokemon was spawned. Eric was now deeply focused, and was ready to command his pokemon.

"The game is on, Eelectross." He called to it. "Now become the reaper, and give it a sweet ending."

"Trawrrl..." The Eelectross grunted, and stayed in formation.

Amy got herself together and retrieved all the courage she could muster, and began commanding her Scizor. "Scizor! Don't be afraid of that thing. Show me your effort like you did like time and you can win this!"

"Zor!" The Scizor responded.

"Now attack it with **Iron Head**!" Amy commanded.

"Sci...Zor!" The Scizor repeated its technique and aimed towards the Eelectross.

"Eelectross, **Coil** yourself up!" Eric cried, and the Eelectross began coiling its body. The attack from Scizor landed on the Eelectross and the clash caused dust to come out. Amy's Scizor brought itself out of the dust cloud and watched to see if its attack had any affect on it. To its surprise, when the dust cleared out, it showed that the Eelectross was still coiled up without any scratches on it. The Eelectross uncoiled itself and got back on its battle stance.

"What the..." Amy said. "It didn't look like it did any damage on it."

"Of course it didn't." Eric began, "The move **Coil**, allowed it to raise its defense a bit, so it only took minimal damage from your pokemon's attack. Also, because Eelectross is electric-type, it was resistant to steel-type attack, so the sustained damage was a lot less than it could provide."

"Hey," Amy started, "That doesn't seem fair!"

"it's called strategy," Eric pointed out, "and every trainers abide by it. If you want 'fair' battle, I suggest you come up with one yourself."

"Hmph, thanks for the advice." Amy said. "Good thing I do have one strategy in my mind." She pointed at her Scizor now. " Scizor, use **Sword Dance**!"

"ZOR!" The pokemon raised its pincers skyward and began powering itself up. The effect of its move made it glow fiery spirit within it and the pokemon shined magnificently.

"Now, use **Fury Cutter** on it!" Amy commanded and the pokemon moved towards the Eelectross while equipping its sharp pincer claws. The Scizor began swinging, but before it could attack...

"Eelectross, fight it with **Dragon Claw**." Eric commanded the pokemon to wield its own claws which was now shrouded by flaming auras, their claws clashed to one another, holding each other off. After a while, they let go of their claws and began swiping on each other. Scizor began swiping, while Eelectross also swiped its claws at Scizor and the two pokemon continuously attacked each other, crashing their claws once after another. Everyone in the room watched the two pokemons fighting for a while and was waiting for certain change in the atmosphere. Scizor was starting to wear off, but for some reason; Eric's Eelectross didn't seem tired and it kept swiping its claws at it. Finally, after few minutes, the Eelectross's claws managed to land a hit to Scizor and the Scizor began taking serious damages from it. Then the pokemon landed a finishing blow on the Scizor and the bug pokemon was knocked towards its back. Amy then decided to change tactics.

"Scizor, **Iron Head** on it!" She yelled.

"ZOR!" The pokemon glowed with metallic light and began charging itself towards its target.

"Eelectross, Mash it with **Wild Charge**!" Eric shouted.

"GRAWL!" The eel-like pokemon covered itself with electricity and began shocking. It then charged itself towards Scizor much like Scizor itself. The two pokemon were charging towards one another by each milliseconds, and then soon, they collided, causing a massive shockwave across the battling ground, both trainers covered themselves with their arms to shield themselves from the pressurizing force. Amy saw it then, her Scizor fell back with signs of weariness while the other one also got knocked back but with even less damages. Amy saw how much her Scizor was struggling now. It was her first time seeing it looking helpless and she could not bear it any longer.

"This was to be expected," Eric said, "Your Scizor had great attack power but its defense was very frail from the beginning. My Eelectross on the other hand had very bulky stats from the stat, along with steel-resistances and continuously used **Coil** move. Its condition right now proves it all."

"Scizor..." Amy called it with a quiet tone. She was beginning to think that allowing it to continue any longer could make it crack under the pressure. She could not stand the sight of it being tired, but part of her also wanted to finish the battle, since her reckless ego did not wanted to lose. The ladder instinct took over and Amy decided to have it keep battling despite its conditions.

"Scizor, I know you can win, so don't give up on me okay?"

"Sci..." Her Scizor began standing up slowly and got back on its feet, preparing itself to fight once more. "Zor!"

"Scizor, use **Sword Dance** again!" At that command, her Scizor glowed once more; reigniting its fighting spirit.

"Now, try to finish it off with **Superpower**!"

"Sci..." The pokemon glowed into even more intense flame and started to charge itself right into its opponent on the other side of the battlefield. "ZOR!" The pokemon made its move. It charged itself towards its target with force so powerful then its shining light shone the whole room.

"Eelectross, use **Coil**!" Eric cried.

At that moment, the pokemon began to shield itself with its long body; right before the enemy Scizor landed its attack on it. The clash was so great that the ground cracked hard from the impact, causing dusts to come out. Amy tried to see if it was alright, while covering her mouth with her arm to keep herself from breathing so much under the pressure.

"Scizor!" She called it, hoping that it was alright. Rebecca and Ingrid also tried to see what was going on from the distance. Few seconds later, Scizor popped out of the dust cloud backwards and landed back. Amy was relieved, but it didn't last long when she saw it falling on its knees, indicating that the pokemon couldn't handle the battle any longer.

"Scizor! Are you okay?!" She asked it, but knew that it wasn't. Scizor struggled it move again, but its body won't even let it stand up. The dust begun to clear up and Amy saw it to her horror. The Eelectross, was still standing, apparently with enough strength left to fight, despite it in its tethered condition.

"No..." She said quietly, and later noticed Eric glaring right at her.

Eric sighed for a moment and began talking. "I must admit, you were incredible up to this moment when you gave everything you had at the end." He paused. "But it wasn't enough, you still became dimwitted and focus on winning the fight instead of winning the battle. I'm tired of playing around now, I should tell you that I've only been toying with you until now."

Eric then pointed towards the battlefield. "Eelectross, finish it off with **Flamethrower**."

"*Gasp*" Amy looked up as he said it, and saw the eel pokemon attempting to emit flames from its mouth. And after a while, a blast of fires came out of its mouth aimed right at Scizor. The bug pokemon was unable to move, so its faith had already have been sealed; to get incinerated by the burning flame. The fire burned quickly and the Scizor burned to crisp under it. Finally, it could not take it anymore and it fell to its back. Scizor was unable to battle. Amy ran towards it right away.

"Scizor!" She cried as she ran. "Are you okay?! Please get up!"

"Don't worry," Eric, who came before her assured. "Pokemons are born to take risks and take beatings all the time. Your Scizor will survive."

Rebecca and Ingrid approached the two trainers and the nerdy girl crouched next to Amy, who was tending to her Scizor.

"Amy," Rebecca spoke to her. "Put your pokemon inside your pokeball and give them both to me. I'll get them healed up."

Amy took out her pokeball and started to return her Scizor in it. "You did great Scizor. Forgive me for pushing you." She said as she returned it back to her pokeball and gave both her pokemons to Rebecca.

"Thanks," Rebecca said. "I'll get them all fixed up and return them to you. I promise." Before she could leave though, Eric stopped her.

"Heal my Honedge too while you are at it." He told her.

"Of course. I'll be back with it." The girl adjusted her glasses before turning away and left the room. Amy was still kneeling, unable to handle her loss from her battle earlier. She then faced Eric and finally spoke.

"So now what?" She asked him.

"I beg your pardon?" Eric responded.

"I lost. So what do you plan for me? You said you'll wager something if I lost." She demanded, half angry. Eric stared at her for a moment before speaking.

"No I didn't." He told her, Amy became confused before he spoke again. "I said I'll decide about it. And I decide _not _to wager."

"What?" Amy wondered.

"You have done excellently during our battle, despite the result. Your loss was more than enough to let you see that I've made my point perfectly clear." Eric noticed a bit of sadness in her emotion, then he said. "Don't take my earlier words too personally. I have only stated facts. Think of my criticism like a vitamin, to help you improve yourself. You may have failed to win in our battle, but once you work with us, you'll get better."

Amy did noy believe what he just said. After a while she replied, "Does that mean I..."

"Yes." He said. "You are more than qualified, you are _suited_ to join us. Welcome aboard."

Amy suddenly felt excited and said, "Oh thank you, THANK YOU!"

Amy began celebrating with a cheerful twirl until Rebecca returned with their pokeballs.

"I've returned with your pokemons, all healed up." Rebecca said as she gave their pokeballs back. Amy received her pokeballs and brought out her Togepi. The pokemon was back to full health and as it got out of the ball, it began leaping with joy.

"Pii Pii!" The Togepi said.

"Togepi!" Amy said as she started hugging it. "I'm glad to see that you are okay! I was worried."

"Pii..." Togepi hugged her back.

"Well learn to get used to worrying about it." Eric said. "You'll need it to start battling with it in order to get better. You've got lot to learn along the way."

Everyone were gettng along by talking to each other for so long. The moment didn't last however when the professor arrived to the room.

"Well, I've found you all at last. It was't hard finding you after hearing all the ruckus in the basement." The professor said as he approached the group.

"I imagine that you've all battled in here, quite a mess you've made in here." Said Professor Mapelar.

"Sorry dad," Rebecca said sheepishly.

"Ah don't worry," Her dad said, "This room was meant to get messy, can get it fixed in no time. Which reminds me." Professor Mapelar took something from his pocket on his lab coat. He took out two object in fact.

"I have managed to finally construct your pokedex, along with..." the professor showed Amy a card with her mugshot on it.

"Your official Pokemon trainer's ID card. You are now an official trainer." Professor read her profile then. "Your name is Amy Venella, age 15, blood type O, half Norwegian, and carries a Scizor and a Togepi in your pokemon party." As he read her personal info, he handed her the card.

"Thank you." She thanked him after receiving the card. "I guess that battle helped me kill time." She said with a smile.

"Looks like you've handled the battling really well. A skill that could be reliable." After saying that, he turned around, and then looked behind him. "Come wth me, all of you." He then led them out of the basement.

* * *

><p>After a while, they were all in his office, telling him what they did at the basement and about Amy's enlistment. Professor Mapelar was sitting by his desk near the window; displaying the sunset beyond the view of the Torace town outdoor. As he was facing four trainers in front of him, a strange pokemon was sitting on his left shoulder. It was yellow with a pair of tiny looking wings, the pokemon had an expression that was rather hard to read, and it had a pointy tail.<p>

"Dunce!" cried the pokemon.

"Like the Dunsparce on my shoulder? It may be bizarre, but such trait makes it unique in its own way." The professor locked his hands and placed his elbows on the desk with his chin on top of the locked hands. "But let's get down to business. Now that Amy decided to join us, I believe she now has the right to know what we are up against."

"I know what you are facing." Amy said. "The Pandoras, right? Like a rebel sort of."

The professor chuckled and said. "Well when you put it that way, yes. However, do you know why?"

"Um, because they are abusing their powers?" Amy gave him the answer she thought was correct.

"Partially, but not exactly." Eric was the one who answered.

"Eric is correct." Professor said. "The issue with the Pandoras is not what they are doing upon society, but what they are doing against nature."

"I'm sorry?" Amy replied.

"The Pandoras," He began, "are doing something that is considered unbaring against the pokemons. They have done well hiding their motives within the shadows, but we have discovered the truth. No one else knows this, but Pandoras are experimenting on the pokemons."

Amy could not believe what she've just heard. "What? Experimenting...on pokemons?"

"Yes." The professor paused. "Their goal was to make pokemons better, to improve them, to make them powerful without having any weaknesses. It was an accomplishment meant for better cause. But the project later became pushed into order and control, and it became serious. As a result, pokemons became powerful but wielded no souls; unable to control themselves. The aftermath from their transformations became threatening and dangerous, but despite all that; the Pandoras continues to do this. Their intentions no longer wields the mean to help people, rather it now does more harm. Their project have caused many disasters in the past and with their powers they hold upon themselves they managed to cover them up and blamed the damages they caused to the local criminals roaming around. If this keeps up, sooner or later; our world will face crisis resolving chaos, and they'll get away with it without paying the price. And that is something we can not allow, considering the knowledge we have about it."

"How did you find out about all that?" Amy asked.

"We have our sources, also Eric have spied on them under the shadow for years." Professor Mapelar answered. Amy now looked at Eric.

"Really?" She asked Eric.

"What the Pandoras have done so far may already be critical to our society." Eric spoke. "But I believe that the experimentation on the pokemons is not the worst of it."

"What do you mean?" Amy asked again.

"The Pandoras are creating something else too." Eric said. "I think it relates to what they've done so far."

"The problem is though," Rebecca spoke next. "is that we don't have enough information about it. With only few of us, there wasn't much we could find out about what they are up to, or even put an update about it. We've gathered only that much data months ago, we don't know what they are doing now and trying to find out about it is getting harder because they are fortifying their numbers all over the region."

"But that's about to change." The professor suddenly said. "Now that we've got more people among us, I believe we can move up to the next phase. It's time that we strike them closely and personally."

The groups all were surprised by his statement.

"Dad," Rebecca said. "are you sure about this? We've only assembled this much people right now, and one of them lacks proper battling experience, to strike them personally now could be like going on a suicide mission."

"I'm aware of that." Said the professor. "But as you travel slowly, you'll be facing many trials and soon you'll all be learning to adapt to the cruel world and eventually get stronger. Do not worry, I have utterly great faith in all of you, you all will manage. I want you three to teach Amy about bttlings and stuff along the way. With the supply kits I'll be handing to each one of you, you'll be able to go on the journey without problem." The professor leaned back for a bit and spoke once more. "Take care of each other too, you'll need each other to face the army of Pandoras you know."

"You won't be joining us?" Ingrid asked.

"No," Professor Mapelar replied. "I'll need to remain here and will be guiding you remotely." He took out a box containing four devices that looked like watches. "These are Xtranscievers. I've made them while creating the pokedex for Amy. You will use these to communicate with me, and to each other; just in case you all end up splitting up. Make use of the pokedex as well, they are installed with mobile PC storage for carrying your pokemons. Watch out for the Pandoras."

"I guess we'll have much to do together helping them from distance huh dad?" Rebecca said.

"Hm." He wondered. "Actually, how about you join them as well?" He said.

"Wha...what?" Rebecca said.

"Frankly, I think you are capable of battle yourself and honestly, I think you can help them better when you went with them. And besides, you want to go with them too, don't you?"

Rebecca paused, not knowing what to say. "Dad, are you sure that...I can go? Really?"

"I'm sure." He said. "You take care of yourelf you hear? And promise me that you'll meet a lot of pokemons, and please stop the Pandoras once and for all."

"We will dad," Rebecca said and approached her dad. "I promise." She then hugged her dad. When Amy saw the sight between the two, she had revelation about the similar bond with her and her own father. It was something which she missed ever since he died. Finally, the rofessor let go of his daughter and begin speaking again.

"You must go to Boreal and meet with another professor there. Her name is Professor Irma Blanche. If you intend to have better hopes of fighting the Pandoras and their experimented pokemons, you are going to be needing her help. Contact me once you meet her."

"Okay." All four of them said in unison.

"You must go through the forest route in the east." The professor said. "Pandoras are occupying the easy route through town, less involved we get with them the better, believe me."

He gave them all the xtransciever and they put them on their left wrists.

"Rebecca," He called his daughter, "If you end up finding more help for your group, I want you to be the one to construct the neccessities for him or her. I believe you can do it, since I've been teaching you since you were little."

"Yes dad." She said. The group and the professor left the building afterwards.

* * *

><p>The day grew older and the sun was almost setting under the redish sky. Professor Mapelar wet down with them to see them off.<p>

"Soon the people will learn that there is a force fighting against the Pandoras." He said. "Whether they will work against you or help you is up to what you do, just don't try and trust too much of them. When the people ask who you are, tell them that you are the antidote to the plagues caused by the Pandoras. You'll call yourselves the Vaccines. Have you all selected your party leaders?"

"Yes," said Eric. "I chose my Eelectross."

"I chose my Scizor." Amy said.

"I chose my Gengar." Ingrid said.

"And I chose my Porygon-Z." Rebecca said.

"How did I know that that's what you'll choose? You remind me of your mother kind of." Professor Mapelar said.

"I guess." Rebecca said after adjusting her glasses.

"You know," Mapelar said after adjusting his own glasses. "I think is time that I give you something in order to ensure that you are safe." The professor looked behind him now. "You can come out now." At that command, a pokemon came out of the building, it was the same pokemon that was serving hot latte.

"GOL!" Cried the Golette.

"Golette?" Rebecca said. "Why dad?"

"Because originally," Professor Mapelar said, "this pokemon's duty was to watch over you when you are young, but now I wish you to use it for you to command it now. I'll feel better, knowing that it'll be standing by you to be protect you again. Think of it as a good bye present from your dad personally."

"Thanks dad," Rebecca said, and then she hugged him once more. "We'll be back soon, I promise."

"I know you wll," he said, "now go. Eric, watch over everyone. Since you are the only male among you, you must be the fiercest one out of all of you. Please take care of my daughter for me."

"I will." Eric said.

"Finally!" Amy said, "Now I get to go on an actual journey, and with companies at best. Better than traveling alone."

"I agree." Ingrid said.

"Farewell professor Mapelar," Eric said, "We won't let you down.

"I know you won't. Farewell." Said the professor and the all began taking off.

The group finally moved out, waving goodbye to the professor as they walked. They were heading towards experience they've never faced before. Whether the journey be treacherous or enjoyable all depends on what they'll run into. The forest is approaching every steps in the way and they are all filled with anticipations. Will they find the way to defeat the Pandoras, or will the Pandoras succeed with exprimenting on pokemons and get away with it? Only time can tell.

* * *

><p><strong>The adventure has now finally begun. The group will now be facing trials which every trainers has ever faced in anime and games all together. They will encounter wild pokemons and will either catch them or fight them. Don't be expecting random battle encounters though, I want to make this story much simple as possible. Remember in Ch 2C of my other fanfiction, when I told you I liked chicks with glasses? I've added another character like that; Rebecca. I'm sure you'll all get to love her as the story goes on, she's actually an interesting character; believe me. What do you think of the story so far? Anticipating for more? What about the characters? I've been doing sketches of the characters in this story too, but I don't think I'll be able to post them online. I'll also post this fanfiction at the Lake Valor site (I have recently joined there btw, with the same user name) Check me out if you guys get the time. I have revealed Amy's personal info so far, so I'll be revealing the other's as well.<strong>

* * *

><p><span><strong>Amy<strong>

**Sex:** female

**Age: **15

**Blood type: **O

**Hair Color: **Light Blonde

**Eye Color: **Magenta

**Favorite Color: **Red

**Pokemons:**

_Scizor_

_Togepi_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Eric<strong>

****Sex:**** male

**Age: **17

**Blood type: **A

**Hair Color: **Snow Grey

**Eye Color: **Indigo

**Favorite Color: **Navy

**Pokemons:**

_Eelectross_

_Growlith_

_Honedge_

_?_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Rebecca<strong>

****Sex:**** female

**Age: **18

**Blood type: **A

**Hair Color: **Blue

**Eye Color: **Green

**Favorite Color: **Cyan

**Pokemons:**

_Porygon-Z_

_Golette_

_?_

* * *

><p><strong><span><strong>Ingrid<strong>**

****Sex:**** female

****Age:**** 16

**Blood type:** AB

**Hair Color:** Black

**Eye Color:** Violet

**Favorite Color:** Purple

**Pokemons:**

_Gengar_

_Murkrow_

_?_

* * *

><p><strong>More characters will be introduced, but not for a while. Certain detours are neccessary before moving on to the actual plot, they have to gain more pokemons after all; not to mention leveling upevolving their teams. I won't dissapoint you, believe me. Anyway, sorry for the late update, gaining access to a computer is getting difficult for me. Yeah, living in the army base sucks. I'll try to update as much as possible, I just hope that all of your patience is strong as my committment. Later~.**


	4. Chapter 4 Wilderness

**What's up brothers? The fact that I'm posting again proves that I'm not dead, although I do feel like dying of boredom nowadays, war's bound to happen anytime soon too. Better hope that it won't come down to that. Anyway, for your patience, you have been awarded with this new chapter. Better be grateful.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 4: Wilderness<span>**

* * *

><p>The road was peaceful, surrounded by plain grass field where the grasses were moving because of the breezing winds. Amy was walking ahead, twirling as the wind passed her, her beauty radiated with rational glade and her hairs shined from the sunlight. As she was breathing fresh air, the rest of the groups were following right behind her. Amy saw her companions slowing down because Rebecca was working on something on her pokedex and the other two were watching her. Curious, Amy headed back to the group and decided to join them.<p>

"Say," She started, "What's so interesting with the techno stuff that you guys have to slow down for? We are on an adventure, so I'd say that we should try to be energetic as possible."

Eric stared at her and said, "Rebecca was trying to synchronize all of our pokedexes in order for all of us to share information on the pokemons we encounter. This way, when we encounter them individually, we all will gain access to the same data. Why don't you get yours synced with ours as well? It might come in handy."

"Well okay, if you say so." Amy gave her pokedex to Rebecca and she used her hacking skills to get them all in-synced. After a while, they all were given same programs in order to share new information. They spoke as they walked.

"Eureka!" Rebecca exclaimed. "Now our capabilities to learn about unknown pokemons will be simpler. Aren't I a genius?" She said and then adjusted her glasses.

"Yeah yeah," Ingrid said. "It's not that impressive."

"So where are we headed?" Amy asked.

"Professor Mapelar gave us direct objectives." Eric reminded her. "To reach Boreal and find Professor Blanche. Best way we can do so is by making less contact with the Pandoras as much as possible. However, considering their numbers and the fact that they've owned almost 80% of this region, our subtly rate of this operation have been diminished into critical level. It's best not to enter areas with unlimited population."

"Honestly Eric," Rebecca said, "can you stop being right for once?"

"You aren't exactly the one who should be telling me that Rebecca." Eric said. "In any case, the professor have advised us to use roads that has less populated environments such as the forest up ahead. The path might be beneficial for us, after all; rough road builds character, it can toughen us up."

"Geez," Amy said. "I can't believe that he'd ask us to take the hard path when we've only got minimal experience with pokemon adventures."

"Um, correction," Eric said. "only_ you_ have minimal experience. The rest of us have gone out before and even faced other trainers before. That's why the professor wanted us to teach you about them all along the way."

"Yeah," said Ingrid, "That battle you had with Eric showed how much you need help on type advantages and everything. You haven't done real battling before have you?"

"Maybe not," Amy said, "but I did learn about how to use pokemons in battle, my dad gave me some tips abut them. He told me that nothing matters but to be victorious at the end. Just stay strong and win, pretty simple."

Amy's remarks only made the others stare at her with funny looks, and then they all just face-palmed.

"I don't know," Eric said, "Sounds more like a childish gibbering every fathers would give to their infants in order to please them out of amusement. I hate to say this, but I think he was only teasing you when he offered such tidbits."

"I know the feeling," Rebecca now spoke, "my dad always try to sneak in my bed and take my baby teeth from under the pillow and blame it on the 'tooth-fairy'. Seriously, the last time he did something like that was last summer, except instead of baby tooth, it was my laptop that he took to see what kind of software I've been working on under his teachings to see if I did great."

"How did that turn out?" Eric asked.

"The software was fantastic, it was even better than the one my dad worked on!" Rebecca said.

"Well then," Eric began, "You'll surpass him in no time. By the way, we are almost there.

The group have reached an entrance to a grove of sorts, from where they were standing the forest look ominous; surrounded by trees standing still. Hollow air can be felt coming out of the area, a breeze which felt unpleasant for the moment.

"This is the path we are going to take?" Amy asked, "Are you sure that there's no other path that we can take?"

"Unless you want to face the Pandoras straight on," Eric noted, "this is the best option we can take. Don't worry, there's nothing to fear in this woods except for constant encounter with wild pokemons. Most of them are just pests, but you are free to capture them for your own. Now, shall we proceed?" Eric went in first, and then the rest followed.

* * *

><p>The group entered the woods, although it was dark the sunlight managed to brighten the area for a bit. As they walked, Amy started wondering.<p>

"By the way," She said, "Where is Boreal exactly?"

"Up north," said Rebecca, "We first have to go to Kasantra city and access the train there, the train can takes us directly to Boreal."

"It'll take us few days to get there," Now Eric spoke, "but we can take our time along the way. Judging by how big this forest is, we might actually have to camp for the night."

"I guess that's fine." Amy knew that it was also best to take it slow. After a while, she had a thought. "Say, how about we catch a wild pokemon here? It's a forest so we can catch one right?"

"You're right," Rebecca said, "It'll also help us fill in our pokedex too. Dad packed us each five pokeballs in our supply kits to start our journey catching them. Let's use this opportunity to use them."

The group ventured deeper into the woods and eventually saw some wild pokemons such as Sewaddles, Burmy, Oddish, and Emolgas within the area. Amy caught her attention to the wild Sewaddle on the tree.

"Aww!" She exclaimed, "That Sewaddle is so adorable! I want to catch it!" She said and then took out her pokeball from her bag to throw at it.

"Amy, wait!" Eric tried to stop her but it was too late, she already began throwing her pokeball at the caterpillar pokemon.

"Here I go!" The ball soared through the air between her and the Sewaddle, the ball landed at the pokemon and it disintegrated into it. "Alright! I caught it..."

Suddenly, the ball shattered into pieces and the Sewaddle broked free from the pokeball.

"Seww...SEW!" The Sewaddle ran away up on a tree in a hurry, it didn't appear to like of being caught like that. Amy had a questionable look in her face as she saw the pokemon crawl away from her.

"What the..." She said in a confused tone. "Why didn't it work? I threw the ball like I was supposed to but it just broke free from it?"

Eric approached her and said, "Amy, where did you exactly learn to catch pokemons?"

"I didn't learn it," she said, "my dad showed me how by simply catching a pokeball at a random pokemon, he didn't exactly told me how he did it. I thought I did it right, so what did I do wrong?"

"Amy, you can't just throw the pokeballs at the pokemons and simply hope for them to get caught." Eric paused, "You first have to weaken them in a battle and then when they are weak enough, you catch them. Honestly, it should be a common knowledge to not be able to catch a pokemon that's in full health."

"Well excuse me," Amy started, "but in case you forgot, I've just recently started, so naturally I wouldn't know about all that yet."

"That's okay Amy," It was now Ingrid who said, "I'll demonstrate how it's done. Just watch me." Ingrid went forwards and approached a Budew that was playing with a branch lying on the ground. She took out one of her pokeballs and prepared for battle.

"Go Murkrow!" The ball flashed as she threw it to the ground and out came a black, crow-like pokemon.

"Kraw, kraw!" The Murkrow cried. The Budew saw that it was about to battle it and got in its stance of battle.

"Murkrow, **Peck** it!" At the command, the Murkrow dived towards the Budew with its beak out. The attack, managed to land on the Budew, but the bud pokemon survived and retaliated with **Absorb**.

"Bub bud!" The pokemon stole some health from Murkrow, but not much.

"That move won't do much against my Murkrow. Now take it out with **Faint Attack**!" Ingrid commanded.

"Kraw!" The Murkrow send out a glowing black aura at the Budew and managed to land it on it to take it out.

"Bud..." The pokemon was unable to battle and Ingrid prepared to throw her pokeball at it.

"Pokeball, go!" The thrown pokeball landed at the Budew and trapped it inside. The ball shook once, twice, thrice, and clicked. The pokemon was captured and Ingrid took it as her victory.

"Perfect," She said, "This is how the capturing of pokemon is performed. Now you try."

"Wow, alright," Amy said.

Rebecca watched the time on her Xtransciever and said," Uh oh, it's almost sun down. We need to prepare to set up camp somewhere."

"Okay then," Eric said, "I'll find us some firewoods then."

"I'll find us some foods then," Said Ingrid, and she and Eric left the vicinity.

"Wai...wait!" Amy cried. "I was about to catch a pokemon! I need you guys!"

"Don't worry Amy." Rebecca assured, "You'll be able to handle it. In the mean time, we need to start preparing before it gets really dark. I'll go see if there is a perfect place to camp. The forest is dangerous at night, so we need to camp somewhere safe." After those words she left, leaving Amy all alone.

"Ugh, so we ended up spliting up." She said, feeling dissapointed. "I guess I'll catch a pokemon myself then." She said and then started venturing the woods alone.

* * *

><p>The forest was quiet, not what Amy have ever expected at all. She felt alone, like when she first started her adventure. The feeling for some reason made her reminisce the moment before her new found journey. Back at her home at Panara, Amy was preparing what clothes to where, she had many varieties to choose from in her wardrobe. Just as she was choosing, her mother entered her room to check up on her.<p>

"So," Her mother spoke, "You really do plan on leaving."

"Yeah," Amy responded, "I dreamed of following my dad's footsteps so, I have decided on this path. I'm not gonna let him down. But you are concerned about it, aren't you?"

"Sweety," her mother spoke again, "I'm still not sure whether you should do this. I have no doubt that you'll make an excellent trainer but," she paused, "becoming a trainer was also your father's greatest ambition, and yet it had him killed. Please reconsider."

"I know mom," Amy cried for a bit, "but I want to finish what he started, I made a promise with him that I would walk his path and become the greatest trainer as he was." Her mom gave her a hug then and Amy continued. "I swear to you; I won't let you down and I'll be more careful as I walk. I'll have my pokemons watch over my back."

"Then please promise me," her mom began, "you'll come home alive at least. I know you can make it, I know you can."

Amy cried for a bit, she used her arms to wipe her tears off her cheeks and resumed packing. Her mom was just about to leave right before she talked again. "And can you promise me another thing?"

"What is it?" Amy turned to her mom.

"When you go out there," the mom smiled and said, "find someone to go out there with, you don't have to handle things on your own as you travel. And also," she paused, "I want you to find someone you could love as well. You are a growing woman Amy, and you still haven't found a boyfriend yet. I could only imagine what he could be like; maybe it could be Trent."

"Oh please mom," Amy started, "There's no way I would go out with Trent of all people. We've got nothing in common."

"Well," her mom thought about it and said, "Yeah, I guess that's one thing I can agree with. But for Pete's sake Amy, at least find the guy that's right for you. I know I did."

The girl and her mother started laughing at each other and started helping one another pack up. Certainly that was the one of the most enjoyous mom and daughter moment Amy could ever remembered. Her mind have returned to present time however and Amy realized that she was still walking on grassy path; covered by fallen leaves. Getting frustrated by the fact that she hasn't run into any wild pokemons yet, she decided to return. As she turned her head to the opposite direction, her eyes caught her attention to a pack of brushes, covered with different colors.

"What's that?" She wondered, and approached the brushes under the sunlight glimmering through the forest's opening over the trees. As she approached the brushes slowly, she realizes that what she was looking at is none other than a pack of berry trees. Tree different berry trees were in front of her, the first one had pink berries; the middle one contained greenish blue berries, and the last one had red berries.

"Wow, berries!" Amy said, "I remember mom planting these for the pokemons whenever one came into our house. They were really happy when I fed them. Wait, I got an idea." Amy took out her pokeball and started tossing it beneath her.

"Go Togepi!" She said, and her Togepi came out of her pokeball she just threw.

"Pii!" Said the little guy.

"Say Togepi," She said to the pokemon, "Want to eat some berries? I bet that you are starving after not eating for a while."

"Pii!" The pokemon happily nodded. Amy picked up the pokemon and placed it closer to one of the berry trees.

"Okay Togepi," Amy said, "Dig in!"

"Pii!" The Togepi was about to take a berry from its tree when something snatched the berry from its grasp.

"Pii?" Togepi wondered.

"What the..." Amy was also bewildered. The berry that her pokemon was about to take suddenly disappeared right in front of them. Togepi tried to take another berry but it also vanished. It tried to grab another, and it vanished again, and again and again and again; until Amy could not take it anymore.

"Alright, that's it!" She cried, "Who's taking the berries while I'm trying to feed my Togepi? Who?!"

Then all of the sudden, another small figure popped out of the berry tree. It was another pokemon, green-colored and overall, a greenish yellow with green polka dots were all over it, as it finished eating the pokemon cried, "SHRROOOM!"

"A Shroomish!" Amy exclaimed, "So you are the berry thief getting in my way while I'm trying to feed my precious Togepi. Don't think that I won't punish you for it!"

Amy pointed at the Shroomish and yelled, "Togepi, attack that thing with **Return**!"

"Pii!" The Togepi began glowing and started to perform the move which appears to look like **Tackle**. When the attack hit the Shroomish however, sparks came out from the impact.

"Shroo!" The Shroomish took the hit and got back on its feet right away. It then began to retaliate with its Tackle attack.

"Pii!" Togepi took the hit this time and managed to withstood the attack.

"Togepi, punish this thing for stealing your food!" Amy pointed at it again. "Now use **Round**!"

"PIII!" Togepi's yelling emitted a soundwave which startled the Shroomish in agony. The green pokemon got back on its feet once more and began to perform another move, it summoned a yellow-colored powder from its head and send them towards Togepi.

"Pii..pii..." When the powders hit Togepi, it began to feel numbness to its body.

"Togepi, attack it again with **Return**!" Yelled Amy.

"Pii...pii..." The Togepi tried to move, but it couldn't for some reason.

"Togepi?" Amy stopped when she noticed the strange anomalies on her pokemon. "What's wrong?"

The Shroomish used its advantage to **Tackle** Amy's Togepi once more, things were getting serious now that Togepi could not move from its paralysis.

"Togepi! What are you doing? Fight back!" Amy was starting to get worried about her pokemon when it was getting beaten by the Shroomish's attack.

"Shroo!" The Shroomish continued to attack her Togepi and Togepi is starting to get tired.

"Pii..." Togepi was facing the ground.

"Togepi, please..." Amy started wondering if trying to attack the wild pokemon on her own was good idea now. She was starting to feel helpless, and realized her mom's words were correct, she can't handle things on her own; she needed help. For once, Amy wanted either Eric or one of her other companions came into her aid right now. Feeling that they won't come for her, she decided to finish it by herself. "Togepi, stay strong for a bit longer alright? Now try to retaliate with another **Round**!"

The Shroomish began to charge itself towards the Togepi, when all of the sudden; Togepi got back on its feet and send out a big soundwave towards the Shroomish.

"PPPPIIIIIIIII!" The soundwave landed directly towards the Shroomish and the pokemon fell to its back.

"Shrooo..." The pokemon was unable to battle, Amy decided to use this chance to try what Ingrid showed her earlier.

"Pokeball, GO!" Amy tossed one of her empty pokeballs at the Shroomish and as the ball hit the pokemon, it disintegrated into it. The pokeball shook once, twice, thrice, and then it clicked; confirming its capture.

"Yes! I captured it, I..." Amy's celebrational dance stopped short when she remembered her Togepi was in pain. "Togepi!" She said as she placed it on her arm. "Are you alright?"

"Pii...pii..." The Togepi was obviously in pain.

"Hang in there, I'll find help." Amy stood up along with the Togepi she was already holding on to. As she got up, she heard someone calling her.

"Amy!" The voice belonged to Eric, who was running towards her, along with Rebecca and Ingrid. The three of them finally made it to Amy.

"What happened?" Eric asked, "We realized you were absent from us when we heard a sound of battle and began searching for you. Are you okay?"

Amy felt relieved to see them. "Eric, I'm glad you guys found me. I'm alright, but my Togepi..." The group saw her Togepi in pain and Rebecca appraoched it to find out the problem to its conditions.

"Hmm," She said, "It looks like your Togepi became paralyzed. Can you tell me how it happened?"

"Well..." Amy began explaining her battle with the wild Shroomish with her Togepi, she mentioned the battle and even the fact that she caught it afterwards. "...and when it summoned some kind of a powder at it, Togepi was beginning to behave strangely."

"It must have been **Stun Spore**." Eric said, "A common move which many grass-type pokemons can wield. It would explain Togepi's sudden paralysis."

"Can you do something about it?" Amy questioned, hoping that there was. Rebecca approached a berry tree contianed red berries and showed it to Amy.

"This is a Cheri Berry." She explained. "It's one of the berries that can heal status ailment such as paralysis, burn, and even sleep. You were lucky to have run into this berry tree when the battle occurred." She gave the berry to Amy and said. "Have Togepi eat this, and it'll be fine."

Rebecca's assurance made Amy feel better and she fed Togepi the berry right away. The Togepi started munching it, and the symptoms it had began disappearing. Togepi was beginning to feel better once more.

"Pii!" Cried the pokemon.

"Togepi!" Amy hugged her Togepi. "I was worried that you won't be yourself again!" She hugged it for a long time. Eric approached her and started saying something.

"I have to say," He said, "I'm pretty amazed that you've managed to catch that pokemon on your own. You really do have what it takes to be a trainer."

Amy blushed and responded, "Tha...thanks..."

"Wow," Rebecca spoke this time, "You even found a perfect camping spot. You've killed two birds with one stone within a day. I've got to hand it to you."

"It's a good thing to," said Ingrid, "The day is growing darker by minutes and wild pokemons are becoming cranky during this hour. We should start camping right away."

"Okay," Amy said, "Let's start camping so I can watch over Togepi."

* * *

><p>The group set up their sleeping bags surrounding the campfire. Amy was setting a cooking pop above the fire and started cooking stews.<p>

"Wow," Rebecca said, "You've never told us that you could cook Amy."

"I learned it from my mom," Amy said, "She never lets me and Dad go out on a trip without a decent meal. Anyway, how are you doing there Togepi?"

"Pii!" Togepi was feeling better than ever.

"Alright! Have a sip of my stew!" Amy took out her ladle from the pot and fed the stew to her Togepi. Togepi took a sip from it and was happy.

"Pii! Pii!" Togepi was feeling very happy.

"Glad you liked it! Have some more!" Amy was also enjoying herself.

"Making it happy is really good Amy," Eric spoke "You must be aware of how it evolves then."

"Huh?" Amy faced him now, puzzled. "What are you talking about? I'm just being a friendly trainer, that's all."

"So you aren't doing it for the sake of its personal growth?" Eric spoke with strange tone.

"I don't even know what you are talking about." Amy stared at him. "If I wanted to evolve my Togepi, I can just have it battle until it grows stronger. Right?"

Eric and Rebecca stared at each other and he responded, "No it won't." His reply made Amy confused.

"Togepi," Eric continued, "along with few other pokemons don't evolve by battling, their growth depends on their welfare with the trainers."

"What do you mean?" Amy asked. Rebecca started speaking this time.

"There are pokemons that evolve from battling, and there are pokemons that evolves differently. Togepi is one of those pokemons." Rebecca paused. "Rumor has it that, in order to evolve those pokemons; you need to offer it a much needed happiness from the bonds it makes with its trainer. Seeing how you and Togepi bonds, I'd say that it'll evolve soon."

"But..." Amy began. "What if you don't want it to evolve?" She stared at her Togepi, apparently she liked the way it looked right now. It was hard to imagine her cute pokemon looking differently as time grows. Eric started speaking after considering for a bit.

"Well then," He began with a long sigh, "Feel free to keep it from doing so, just be aware that if it remains in that form, it's not going to grow any tougher; and it will become obsolete from being ever used as you meet other trainers. You wouldn't want to have it burdened from battles just because you chose not to have it evolve. Humans change as time goes by, but pokemons are different. They may change as time goes by, but their change depends on how the trainers give effort to make them grow stronger. In order to survive the world out there, pokemons _do_ need to grow stronger; and to do that, they _do_ have to evolve to reach their full potential. I'm not going to make you decide on evolving your pokemon by force; but just understand the consequences for not doing it."

Eric's words made Amy consider it for a long time. She knew he was right but it'll mean that she'll never see that cute looking pokemon she once had again. The group finished Amy's stew and started to sleep in their sleeping bags. Before they could however, Eric got up all of the sudden, surprising Amy.

"Eric?" She said, "What's wrong?"

"We are not alone." When he said that, all of them got on their feet. They began hearing noises surrounding them, apparently there were pokemons out there that didn't take their presence kindly at all.

"I thought you said this was a safe camping spot!" Amy cried to Eric, who then responded.

"Amy, nowhere in this forest is safe as long as wild pokemons are out here." Eric took out his pokeball. "If you want to survive the night, I suggest you take out your pokemons as well.

Amy decided to listen and the rest of them took their pokeballs out as well. The noises around them grew louder and soon, several pokemons came out of the bushes. They were huge and angry looking bears.

"Ursurings!" Rebecca cried. "These are tough pokemons living in wooden areas."

"We have to fight them, don't we?" Ingrid asked.

"That's right." Eric said. "Get your best pokemons out."

They all began throwing their pokeballs now, and out came their pokemons. Eric took out his Growlith, Rebecca her Golette, Ingrid her Gengar, and Amy took out her Togepi.

"Amy, why did you took out your Togepi instead of your Scizor?" Rebecca asked, stunned.

"So that I could toughen it up, so it will grow stronger without having to evolve!" Amy was determined to keep it from evolving after all.

The Ursurings approached them with urge to take them out. The group began initiating their attacks of their pokemons.

"Growlith, take one out with **Close Combat**!" Eric cried and his Growlith brutally began attacking one of the Ursurings.

"Golette! **Mega Punch**!" Rebecca's Golette also attacked an Ursuring by punching them.

"Gengar! Use **Focus Blast**!" Ingrid's Gengar blasted a powerful sphere blast from its mouth and as the move landed on a group of Ursuring, they flew from the blast.

Amy watched her comrades fighting hard with their respective pokemons and decided to fight hard as well. "Togepi! Help them! Use **Metronome**!"

Her Togepi waved its small arms until it summoned a random move which made it shoot a blast of muds at them. The move, **Mud Shot**, blinded the Ursurings, making them hard to see.

"See?!" Amy cried. "I can have it managed battle without evolving!" Amy grew confident now. "Now attack them with **Return**!"

"Pii!" Togepi glowed and started charging towards one of the Ursuring and tackled it. The attack however, did not seem to have done much damage to it and Ursuring that it attacked faced the Togepi.

"Grrr..." The Ursuring growled at it.

"Oh no." Amy realized that she made a wrong move there.

The Ursuring used **Slash** on Amy's Togepi and it flew towards her with painful damage.

"Togepi!" Amy cried and approached her pokemon. Togepi looked back at her with teary eyes.

"Togepi..." Amy looed at her pokemon for a long time. At that moment, Eric's words echoed inside her head._ 'Feel free to keep it from doing so, just be aware that if it remains in that form, it's not going to grow any tougher; and it will become obsolete from being ever used as you meet other trainers. You wouldn't want to have it burdened from battles just because you chose not to have it evolve.'_ His words were like a massage of a warning. _'pokemons do need to grow stronger; and to do that, they do have to evolve to reach their full potential. I'm not going to make you decide on evolving your pokemon by force; but just understand the consequences for not doing it.'_

Amy came up with a conclusion, and she gave her Togepi an Oran berry before allowing it back on the field.

"Pii?" Togepi was wondering what Amy was about to do.

"Togepi, I want you to help the others." Amy began pointing. "Use **Metronome** one more time!"

"Pii!" Togepi waved its hands once more and it made another move. It hopped right up, and then landed, causing the ground to shake a bit. The shaking startled the Ursurings which got them off balanced. Now, her team received a helping hand.

"Great work Togepi!" She told her pokemon which turned to face her.

"Pii!" Said the Togepi, and then something happened. Her Togepi began glowing like mad. The light made Amy and her team cover themselves with their arms in order to keep themselves being blinded by it. The brightened figure began to change its shape, it was given a neck a pair of wings and even brighter colors. As the light simmered down, Amy's pokemon appeared once more, with new appearence. It almost looked familiar to her, after all; it is her pokemon.

"Togepi..." Amy said. "You've become Togetic now. I'm so proud of you."

"Piyo!" Cried the Togetic.

Then she felt a tap on her shoulder, the hand belonged to Eric, who began speaking. "You should be proud of yourself. This is the starting path of itself, showing its true powers. Now, shall we?" Eric asked.

And Amy responded, "Yeah!" She pointed at the Ursurings and said, "Togetic! Use **Fairy Wind**!"

"PIYO!" Togetic started hovering, and then it began summoning a cycling wind which sparkled with bright lights. The shining wind headed towards the group of Ursurings and as it hit, the pokemons were forced back with small damages.

"Grr!" One of the Ursuring began to retaliate by rushing towards the Togetic with Sharpened claws; attempting to perform the **Crush Claw** move. Eric noticed this and alarmed his pokemon.

"Growlith!" He called to it. "Help out Amy's Togetic! Use **Flame Wheel**!"

"Ruff!" The canine covered itself with flames and began rolling towards the attacking Ursuring. The attack dealt big amount of damage and the Ursuring was pushed even harder towards its gangs.

"Thanks!" Amy said to Eric, "Now Togetic, Finish them off with your **Round**!"

"Piyo!" The Togetic began inhaling, and then started to unleash its attack at them. But When it unleashed its move at last, the soundwave became even larger than before.

"PPIIYYYYOOOO!" The wave of sound blasted off towards the gang of Ursuring and they were screaming in agony. Finally, they couldn't take it anymore, and decided to retreat. Amy saw how much stronger Togetic has become ever since it evolved.

"You did it, Togetic!" She went and hugged her pokemon with great joy.

"Piyo!" Cried the pokemon.

"Wow," Rebecca said, "It's **Round** attack upgraded to **Uproar**! As use continuously uses the move, it eventually upgrades to a better version of the move! I'm impressed!"

"Yes," Eric spoke, "You even surprised me. You've outdone yourself Amy, as did your Togetic."

"Thanks." Amy said, but for some reason, she felt a bit sad. "But that cute little Togepi I once knew; It saddens me to know that I won't see it again."

"It's part of nature for living things to grow up." Eric said. "Even _we_ grow up. Many parents do not look forward for their children to grow up either, but time passes and they all evolve. Parents and trainers must learn to accept the change caused by time. That way, even they can grow up and learn to fend for themselves, much like our pokemons. So you see Amy, if you wish to protect your pokemons, you must let them do it on their own, no matter how hard it must be. We, too, must become stronger by adapting the changes."

"Well said Eric." Rebecca talked this time. "Don't worry Amy. There are plenty of Togepis out there. And don't worry about not being able to see one for a while either. You can use your pokedex to see the recorded shape of your pokemon's original form. We owe it all to technologies."

"Yeah," Amy said happily. "I guess you're right. Thank you for allowing me to see things better."

"Well then." Ingrid spoke this time. "Now that we've had enough fun for the night, how about we go back to our beauty rest? We've got a long day ahead of us."

"I agree." Eric responded, and the group went back into their sleeping bags and fell asleep.

* * *

><p>That night, Amy stayed awake, wondering if she'll become much more stronger trainer like tonight. She was now looking forward for having similar battle next day. As she turned, she noticed that Eric was also awake. Amy decided to use this moment to speak to him.<p>

"Hey Eric." She called him with a quiet voice.

"Hm?" He responded quietly.

"Thanks for supporting me up until now. I might not have gotten through today if it wasn't for you." Amy quietly thanked him, and waited for a 'your welcome' out of him.

"It was my pleasure." He said. "Know that you should give yourself some credit as well. That Togetic handled the battle, but it was thanks to you that it did it."

"Only because you've been guiding me." She pointed out. "How come you are so knowledgeable?" Amy had been wondering it for a while and it appears she's about to get her answer at last.

"My father was wise, and he was a worthy teacher for me." He answered. "Let's leave it at that."

"Oh cool." Amy said. "But it seems you knew what words to use to give me confidence as well."

Eric paused for a while and said, "Well, between you and me; my dream is to be a teacher when I become an adult."

"Wow, really?" Amy was surprised to hear a half-depressed looking character like Eric would have a dream like that.

"Yes." Eric responded. "When you tend to have great knowledge, you would want to share it with others. Passing out information, in order to make the unknown into known, is also one of greatest aspect of enhancing human minds. No matter how old you are, you are capable of filling in those knowledge and show you how to pass it on to another epoch. I've learn the capability of it, and ever since I wished to do what many wise ones have ever done. Strangely, they've told me that I was overqualified and said I was capable to do something better, but all I want is to teach. Perhaps I will someday, it all depends on my progression."

Amy remembered how Eric has told her several tips on what to do when starting an adventure. She have realized just now that it was thanks to him that she's made it this far. After knowing what he's capable of, she said, "I'm sure you'll make it. I know you will." Amy repeated the words her mother said to her before her journey. Only that the same words were directed at Eric now.

"Giving me confidence now, are you?" Eric said with a kind tone. "I know my own confidence girl. Do you know your own?" As he asked, she started nodding with a small bit of laughter. The two became a bit closer and they talked for a bit more before falling asleep entirely. Hours passed by since they spoke, and the moment they will take leave right at sunrise was approaching. What will they run into then? Will it be an another fun adventure? Answers will come once the heroes leave their dream world.

* * *

><p><strong>The story is doing great so far. Sadly, the next chapter might take a while, perhaps until mid February. How'd you all like the story so far? Better than the one Ash Ketchem was in? What do you think will happen next? Please leave commentsreviews with speculations and I promise I'll post the next chapter as soon as I could, and I will also post sketches of each characters when I can. So long, folks.**


	5. Chapter 5 Spelunking

**How have you all have been? Things haven't been that great for me lately, I received a cold and my body's aching a lot. But that's besides the point, the point is that I have finally managed to post a new chapter. Have fun reading.**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 5: Spelunking<span>**

* * *

><p>The forest seemed calm, despite the event that occurred last night. The group was starting to unpack their belongings in order for the to continue their journey. Amy finished packing her cooking equipment and afterwards, she stretched her arms up above her, in order to regain her usual reflexes.<p>

"Hmph! Ah, fresh morning!" She said. "Well, then, shall we get going guys?" She heard no response. "Uh, guys?" Wondering what her teammates are doing now, she turned behind her and saw them gathered by the campfire which was still smoking from the late night blaze. Rebecca was sitting on a log while looking at some kind of a device with a wide screen; Eric and Ingrid crouched beside her and were also looking at the device. Curious, Amy decided to join them to look at what they were watching. When she finally took a look at the screen, she realized that they were watching a miniature television.

"Mobile TV?" Amy asked.

"Yep." Rebecca replied. "Quite convenient when you have to watch news while traveling."

The screen displayed a woman sitting by a large table, and the background had a large wall with the letters SRPN hanging on them. The woman they were looking at was gorgeous-looking and was about mid 20; wearing make-up and a vermilion dress and had a long brown hairs tied to her right side. At the screen, she began speaking.

"_Good morning. This is SRPN news bringing you the latest update. I am Veronica, and today I will be announcing the upcoming news._" Veronica paused before continuing her broadcast. "_This morning, the Pandoras have announced the arrival of their regime at the Kasantra district in order to make a speech of their goal. Their leader have gone up to make the speech to speak for the Pandoras, announcing the upcoming change we might have to establish. Please listen to what he had to say._"

The screen changed into a scene where the camera was viewing the audiences facing the stage in front of them. At the podium, appeared a strange looking man behind it. The man wore white heavy coat with a silver lieutenant hat, and for some reason he wore a creepy mask that looked like a human face with markings all over it. The man's eyes were glowing red, it was unsure whether they were real or artificial. The tall man grabbed the microphone and spoke beneath his mask.

"_I must thank you for allowing yourself to come today._" The man spoke with deep and scrambled voice. "_I must show you all my gratitude by revealing to you all what will be coming for us in the future. I have..._"

Amy listened to the man's words but didn't understand what he was bring up in the matter. After a while, she finally spoke. "Um, excuse me but, who is that?" Amy asked. Her question made the other three look at her with strange looks, looking sour. Eric stood up in his place.

"You are kidding." Said Ingrid. "Don't you own a TV back home?"

"I do but," Amy replied. "I am more of an outdoor girl so I don't watch them much, and when I do; I don't really watch news and stuff; I don't find them interesting really."

Rebecca was beginning to scratch her head before speaking. "Honestly, how could you know about the Pandoras but not him?" Rebecca faced Amy again and answered her question. "That's Van Damien, the Pandora regime. He's the leading figure of the pandoras."

Eric locked his arms and spoke. "When Pandora opened the box she shouldn't have, he was the first thing that came out of it."

The masked man continued talking on screen. "_It is my pleasure, to announce the upcoming change. The change that will liberate the weaknesses in our society. For years, mankind have coexisted with pokemons; to live among them; to fight with them; but what holds them back keeps us from establishing peace. The world is full of goodness yet there are terror walks among us. I wish to bring change into this world by making it all better, and I have worked for years to develop the antidote. People, I have discovered the way to make pokemons better. You may think that they are fine as they are now, but when they are improved they shall be more suited to help our world a better place. They have strength, but their weaknesses deter them from progressing from such possibilities. Soon, I shall eliminate these weaknesses of theirs so that they can help improve the future! People! I shall bring you all towards the paradise without any flaws, a paradise where only ideals exist. The next era will be glorious! The Pandoras will ease all suffering! All for peace!"_

The man have finished his speech, as a result there were applause. People were mesmerized by what Van Damien have presented; or rather what he claims he will bring. After the climatic finish, Rebecca turned off her mobile TV device.

"Don't believe what he says Amy." Said Eric.

"Yeah," said Rebecca. "That man has talent for deceiving you, while confronting you like he's some sort of a messiah."

"He's trying to make our world a better place?" Ingrid blurted. "Poisoning is more like it. He's inconceited I tell you."

Amy pictured the masked man in her head once more. "So, he's the one leading the Pandoras. He looked frightening."

The group finished packing their stuffs and prepared to move once more.

"C'mon," said Eric. "We've got to move. The path ahead will be much more treacherous than the one in this woods." After he assured, they all walked through the open path right ahead of them.

* * *

><p>They have been walking for several minutes and they were still walking under the tree branches covered with leaves. While walking, Eric was holding some kind of a coin; which he kept flipping with his long fingers. Amy have seen him making the coins travel across his fingers as he raised them and lowered them simultaneously. Impressed, she approaches him.<p>

"What is that? Your lucky charm or something?"

Eric continued to perform tricks with his coins and answered. "You could say that. I've been carrying this ever since my mom presented it to me one day. I've been keeping this and I've never let go of it since. It's become a habit for me to be toying it like this."

"Wow, cool." Amy smiled.

The group walked a bit more and found that they were heading towards the entrance to a cave of sort. They stopped at their tracks and saw the large cave before them, thinking what to do.

"A cave!" said Amy with astonishment. "Do we have to go through this?"

"I'm afraid so." answered Rebecca. "This is the only alternate way out of our current path. I should have figured we'd run into this, cave exploring is common for trainers when they are journeying, after all."

"Spelunking can be a hassle," said Eric, "But it can be helpful to help trainers toughen up their pokemons, as well as catching the ones inside. The only problem could be that as we enter, we won't have any access to automated healing device like the ones in the pokemon center. I suggest we make use of our potions wisely here."

Amy face the group and said, "Okay then, let's enter. I am willing to face whatever we might have to face in there. I am up to the challenge." Amy spoke with confidence.

Ingrid approached the cave closely and inspected for a while. "This place seems dark." She says. "looks like I'll have to fix that." Ingrid brought out one of her pokeballs and summoned a pokemon out of it.

"Liiiii..." said the candle-looking pokemon.

Ingrid picked up her pokemon and placed it on her palm. "Litwick, can you help me light the way through this cave?"

"Liii~!" The Litwick cried with a joy.

"Thank you." Ingrid said, and she placed her other hand and had it surround Litwick's fire on its head. As she slowly moved her hand on the flame, Ingrid recited some kind of a chant and made the Litwick's purple flame light with even bigger fire. Ingrid now looked like she was holding onto a candle with bright fires lit on top of it.

"Wow," said Amy. "That was amazing!"

"Now, shall we go in?" Ingrid begin entering while holding her Litwick. The rest of the group followed after her and they all have entered the cave.

* * *

><p>The cave path they were walking in was narrow and dark, but thanks to Ingrid's Litwick; they weren't walking blind. Stalactites were hanging right above them while some of them were dripping drops of water at the ground. The atmosphere was getting dull and boring, so Amy decided to lighten things up by talking.<p>

"So," she said to Ingrid, "do you like carrying eerie-looking pokemon? I've noticed you carrying some goth like pokemons so..."

Ingrid started responding without turning towards Amy, "I do, they are quite handy and creepy is also my style. People questioned my preferences with pokemons but I don't really care about their comments. Some trainers think that ghost-types aren't that useful since they are weak against their own types; but to me I think normal-types are more troubling. That's why I don't like carrying one; they seem untrustworthy."

"How come?" Amy asked. "Normal types may not have great strength when it comes to type advantages; but that's what makes them unique."

"It's true that they've got their own potential qualities," Ingrid continued, "but there's some facts about the normal-types which none of you may not be aware of. A superstitious income I should say."

"What's that?" Amy became curious.

"Let me guess," Eric said all of the sudden. "they are the representatives of seven deadly sins."

"My, are you familiar with the legend? I've never thought." Ingrid seemed puzzled.

"They aren't really legend." Eric said. "More like some conspiracy buffs which superstitious trainers come up with to fabricate mysteries of our world."

Amy started to wonder what the conversation was heading to. "What about the seven sins?"

The group continued walking towards the path which was becoming wider. The place was still dark and was filled with puddles. They begin their discussions as they passed the area.

"As you know Amy," Ingrid said, "The seven deadly sins conspires with dark mysteries encouraging tragedies and fear, and the legends have been passed on to alert those who might consider committing them. The seven sins are gluttony, greed, lust, sloth, envy, pride, and wrath. According to an ancient pokemon folklore, there are seven normal types representing these sins."

"So are you saying," Amy started, "That these hidden qualities of theirs is what makes them mysterious and heinous?"

"Some theorists suggested it, some conspired to the contrary." Eric answered. "Despite how far-fetched the story sounds though, there are some facts that connects the dot with it. For instance, Snorlax is a normal type representing 'Gluttony' which spends its time finding foods to eat; taking away foods from others and soon leading to the downfall of both parties. The starving one suffers from hunger while the eater suffers from obesity."

"Is that possible?" Amy asked.

"Quite." Is was now Rebecca who answered. "Although some people don't see it, overeating could become the product that shortens lifespan. Consumption towards annihilation. It is such reason that 'Gluttony' made it to the list of the 7 deadly sins."

"Moving on to another sin, 'Sloth'." Eric moved on. "There can be no better pokemons than Slacking that represents this sin. Laziness reflects the daily lives of some one who lives a meaningless life. It also leads to another dangerous term: Boredom."

"How can being bored be dangerous?" Amy asked.

"When people gets bored, they tend to do things that may end up in disasters. Man committed a heist because he had nothing to do, kids skip school because their school activity became tedious, kids overslept because he was bored and tired; thus leading them to waste several minutes or hours of their only lives they could ever be living in. Yes, those who are bored are oftenly misguided. Sloth may not directly be deadly, but it can lead up to be a potential threat." Eric thought for a minute before continuing. "A similar types of harm can be caused through another sin called 'Wrath'; which as you can imagine is represented by an Exploud. When one expresses its rage, it may unintentionally end up hurting someone; whether it be someone you hate or love; no matter who becomes the victim is, the consequences is all the same. The worst part would be the guilt that follows after, which one may end up taking his own life for ending harming the loved ones without being able to control itself. An unbearable transgression."

"Wow, I've never thought of it that way." Amy was thinking hard about what she was listening to. She was now craving to hear more. "What about the other sins?"

"There are interesting ones like 'Greed'." Ingrid said.

"What pokemon represents that?" Amy tried to think of a pokemon that could represent the sin 'greed'. None came up to her.

"You'll find it surprising to hear that it is Persian. After all, it is one of those pokemon that could learn the move **Pay Day**, which is a move that dispenses currency during battles. Most greedy scums would want powers and money." Ingrid relit her Litwick's fire; which was starting to go out. "As for the other sins; Lopunny shows sign of 'Lust', Delatty the 'Pride', and Purugly the 'Envy'. It all fits."

"Okay, but I've always wondered," Amy started, "How could 'Lust' be considered deadly? I don't see the harm of making love between sexes."

Rebecca adjusted her glasses before speaking. "You do know that 40% of the time when couples perform intercourse, they obtain paradoxical deseases like AIDS right?"

"But it can create life." Amy whispered, "What is so threatening about that?"

"In scientific point of view," Eric said, "it actually can be threatnening. Considering that no one realizes it, 'Lust' can soon lead to overpopulation. World resources would be in the brink of decimating; and with every new lives being born the processes accelerates. And the term 'Lust' doesn't just applies on sexes, but applies to addicton for higher power. Man would do anything to obtain superiority, even killing."

Amy was amazed by the conspiracy she have learned, which made her wonder if there were more of them. A thought came to her mind and she decided to hear from Eric.

"Eric, which sin do you think it's the most dreadful?"

"It depends on who you ask." Eric said. "The most dreadful ones is whatever each individuals depicts the opposites of the sins they represent the most from one of them."

"What about you?" Amy asked.

"Personally." Eric began. "I would go with 'Greed'. Because all the other sins are its follow-up."

"How come?" Amy wondered.

"'Gluttony' is basically like greed, except it takes away foods. 'Lust' is like a greed for powers and for perverted pleasure. 'Pride' is a greed for fame and attention. 'Envy' soon leads to greed too, if you have read any korean folk tales; you'll know what I mean. Shall I go on with the list?"

Amy was enjoying the topic of their conversation. Sadly, it was soon interrupted by an unexpected encounter with pesky wild flying rodents heading their way.

"Jipjipjipjipjip" Cried the fluttering pokemons.

"Guys take cover! Zubats alert!" Rebecca shouted, and they all covered their heads as the Zubats began harrassing them, like bunch of annoying mosquitoes.

"Gyah! Someone get these guys off of us!" Amy did not like the bat pokemons by one bit.

"I'll handle this." Rebecca said as she took out one of her pokeballs. "Go Magnamite!"

Rebecca threw her pokeball and spawned a sphere-shaped pokemon with magnets for limbs.

"~mite~" The pokemon said with scrambled metallic voice.

"Magnamite, use **Discharge** to drive the Zubats off of us!"

"~Yes ma'am.~" Replied the Maganamite, and it obeyed her command. The pokemon started emitting electrical energies from its body and blasted them off towards its surroundings. The shockwave caused big damages on the Zubats and scared some of them off. Only few Zubats remained to continue their harassing.

"Ugh, they are still persistent!" Rebecca did not bother to do it once more.

"I've got this." Eric took out his pokeball as well and started throwing it.

"Honedge! Use **Metal Claw **on them!" As his pokemon became summoned, it managed to use its metallic sash to attack the wild Zubats.

"Hone!" The sword pokemon continuously swung itself and attacked the Zubats one by one until they all fled. It then managed to land a critical hit to one of them, which fell to the ground.

"Jip...jip..." The Zubat felt helpless. Eric returned his Honedge back in his pokeball, as did Rebecca who returned her Magnamite.

"Well done Eric." Rebecca complimented. "What should we do with the one you just crippled?"

"Show it a sign of mercy." Eric took out an empty pokeball and threw it at it. The Zubat disintegrated inside the ball and it began to shake. It shook once, twice, thrice, and then clicked. Eric went and picked up the pokeball containing the Zubat.

"Why did you caught it instead of just leaving it lying on the ground to suffer?" Amy demanded. "Zubats are weak and lame anyway."

Eric faced her and said. "You'll be surprised by how handful the lame-looking pokemons could become when you raise them correctly." He put the pokeball in his bag. "Now, shall we continue?" Eric turned to continue walking the path. The rest followed after him.

* * *

><p>The group were now walking in the strange looking passageway. The walls consisted of bizarre rocks unlike anything they've ever seen.<p>

"Weird rocks we've got here. Lame." Amy looked displeased.

"Believe it or not Amy, these rocks we are looking at are pretty valuable to archaeological point of view." Rebecca began scanning them with her device.

"What's so special about them?" Amy wondered.

"These rocks are actually fossils of prehistoric pokemons, the remains of their carcass should I say." Eric said, apparently he was also interested in them. "Archaeologists all over the world have dug them up to study their welfare in the older generations. Scientists have found ways to resurrect them just by replicating with the use of the DNAs they find within these fossils. I've never witnessed such process, but I've seen results before."

"Too bad I don't see any valuable stones I'd rather have. I don't do well with old-fashioned pokemons." Ingrid looked around.

The group ventured through the cave and began talking about fossil pokemons identified in many different regions. Amy was surprised to hear all kinds and varieties of them, and wondered if she too will find one to train it herself, and even breed them. few minutes have passed since they walked and later, Eric becomes alerted for some reason.

"Eric? What's wrong?" Rebecca became concerned.

"Do you guys hear something?" He said.

"Hear what?" Amy also tried to listen.

"Like two individuals talking somewhere not far away." Eric's claim made the others tried to listen as well. To their surprise, he was right, somewhere there was a conversation taking place.

"C'mon, let's investigate." Eric led the group towards the direction of the distinct voices. They soon discover that they weren't alone in the cave. They all hid between rocks and had a clear view of the talkers. There were three of them, one of them was a traveler all tied up and gagged; while the other two were wearing an all familiar uniforms which belonged to the group they were fighting against: Pandoras.

"What are they doing here?" Amy whispered. "I thought the Pandoras were not around these part of the areas."

"As I feared," Eric also whispered, "they've began to place them even on uderpriveledged areas. Must be because of your action with them when you first encountered one."

"What are they doing, tying up that man?" Rebecca wondered. The four of them gazed towards three individuals surrounded by puddles, stagmites, and ray of lights coming from above. The two Pandora guards were talking until the third arrived.

"Did he had them?" The burly grunt asked.

"Yes," said the female grunt, "as SIN informed us. These fossils will prove useful for our goals. Boss will be pleased."

The female grunt attempted to give the two fossils to the third grunt, but he said, "Keep them. Consider them your reward for successfully purloning them. Just promise me that you will make use of them."

"Thank you." The female grunt said. Her partner eyed the man they tied up, who was still struggling from the painful restraints on his wrists.

"What should we do with him?" He asked. "He have witnessed our presense and knows too much than he should."

"I'll deal with him." responded the burly grunt. "You two may report back to HQ and get those fossils to the lab. Speak to no one about what have transpired here."

"Yes sir." The two grunt said, and they were out of sight right away.

The last remaining grunt circled around the helpless man, with his pokeballs equipped to his hand.

"Now old man," he said with a gruff voice. "what should I do with you? As much as I wish to give you mercy, regretably however; you know too much."

He brought out a second pokeball and then summoned two pokemons after throwing them right in front of the tied up man. They were a Spoink and a Relicanth.

"Spoink!" The Spoink squeeled.

"Re~li~" The Relicanth moaned.

The two pokemons approached the helpless man with uncertain intentions.

"Deal with him." The grunt snarled. And the two pokemons leaped towards the man. They were lunging towards him in slow motion as the man attempted to flinch. They would have landed on him if it wasn't for the ball of shadow hit the two pokemons all of the sudden, forcing them back and they landed on their backs.

"What the-" The grunt was astonished. "Who's there?!"

Without answering, Eric and Ingrid ran toward the scene along with each of their respective pokemons: Honedge and Budew.

"Honedge," Eric began. "handle the swine."

The sword pokemon charged itself towards the Spoink for a one on one battle.

"Budew, use **Growth**." Ingrid commanded, and the Budew started storing energy.

"Bud~" The Budew chanted.

"You kids made a mistake of getting in Pandora inquisition. For that, I have the right to detain you!" The grunt said it with rough tone.

"_You_ have right to be silent." Eric countered. "As I recall, your laws do not implicate areas such as this cave. Therefore, your code of conduct is obsolete here. Your act against that man beore you is inconceivable and unbearable. We are here to end it."

"You think you can take _me_ out?" The grunt taunted.

"No, I believe we can do more than that." Ingrid let out her fires out of her hands. "I believe, by the time we are done with you; you'll be crying like a baby; running towards mommy. An unsettling image coming from a big boy such as you."

"That's it! Instead of the prison, how about the morgue?!" The grunt treatened. "Relicanth, use **Stone Edge** on the girl's Budw!"

"Rell!" The Relicanth charged itself towards the Budew, equipped with sharp-stony body. As it rushed and landed its attack, the impact ended with excruciating pain.

"Baa!" The Budew cried in pain.

"Budew, use **Absorb**." Ingrid commanded.

"Bud!" The bud pokemon started glowing, and leeched some health from the Relicanth.

"Rellic..." moaned the Relicanth.

"Crap! Relicanth, focus!" Cried the grunt.

"_You_ should be the one focusing; on should I say...your Spoink." Eric pointed.

"Wha..." The grunt then looked at his other pokemon, which was having a hard time with Eric's Honedge. The Spoink fought hard with use of **Extrasensory**, and **Bounce** move; but despite all that the Honedge was still a threat to be reckoned with.

"Honedge,** Shadow Ball** on it." Eric said to it.

"Hone!" The sword pokemon bradished itself to fire a ball of shadow at the Spoink, which dealt big damage on it.

"SPOINK!" The Spoink fell back, unable to recover from the blast.

"Crap..." The grunt was at loss for words, no one pushed him this far before. Before grieving, he noticed the fight between the Budew and the Relicanth was still active.

"I'm not done yet!" He was focused now. "Relicanth, crush that thing with **Double Edge**!"

"Rel!" The Relicanth swam across the puddle in geat speed and rammed hard on the Budew. The push prove to be effective since it managed to push Budew far edge of the jagged space.

"Bud..." The Budew was in pain.

"Budew..." Ingrid looked and noticed the ray of sunlight right above the Budew, and decided to use it as an advantage.

"Budew, use** Growth** once more!"

The pokemon stored its energy again, only this time it stored a lot more than before.

"Of course," Rebecca adjusted her glasses and oserved from the distance. "the move** Growth** becomes enhanced under the sunlight, its next move will be devastating."

"That's not going to help you!" he grunt said. "Relicanth, use **Aqua Jet**!"

The Relicanth shrouded in waters and charged itself fast towards the Budew storing power under the sunlight.

"Budew, fire away your **Energy Ball**!" Ingrid shouted. In that instant, the Budew opened its eyes; all fired up from the glowing aura from the **Growth** move.

"Bud!" The Budew fired a large glowing energy sphere, which was fired right at the bullet-like hydro acceleration. The shot made contact, causing big impact. The blast blasted away the Relicanth with great agony and it ended up flying towards the grunt. The fish landed hard on his gut.

"Arrgh!" The blow determined total defeat towards the grunt.

"Way to go Budew!" Ingrid praised her pokemon, which was glowing all of the sudden. It may have been bright because of the sunlight, but that wasn't it. The glow was more dashing and even brighter than the sunlight itself. The pokemon was actually covered by the light, as if it was about to evolve.

"Bye!~" cried the small pokemon.

"Wow, the Budew gained strong influence from the sunlight, allowing it to grow stronger into another level." Rebecca was amazed, as was Amy.

The pokemon changed its shape from a seedling into a maiden with two colored-roses attached to its arms.

"Rose~" The Roselia winked.

"My, you've impressed me Roselia." Ingrid commented. "I've only known you for only a day, and you have already proved your worth to me."

The grunt at the other side of the room returned his pokemons to his pokeballs while sitting. "You kids will rot in hell. I will swear that the Pandoras will see to it that you'll be marshalled harshly when we catch you next time!" The grunt ran off, an the two trainers also returned their pokemons. Amy ran towards the tied up man and freed him.

"You kids have my deepest gratitude." The old man said. "But to save this old soul by angering the Pandoras was quite risky."

"Why did they attacked you?" Amy asked.

"I'm an archaelogist who was digging for fossils in this cave. I worked very hard taking out the two I found, but as soon as I tried to leave, those Pandoras blocked my way. They said that this cave was under their control now and that I had to pay a toll to get out. They asked for my fossils; and I refused so they attacked me. You know the rest." The old man became too tired to speak anymore.

"Those Pandoras," Amy began. "Who do they think they are?!"

"Their influence is growing as we speak, that can't be good." Eric was now concerned. "No doubt that our attack with that grunt earlier will make them rise even faster. We have to move, fast."

"May I ask, who are you children?" The old man wondered.

Amy smiled and responded, "We are the ones who's going to bring change to the world. We are the one who's facing the-" Just then, her mouth was being covered by Ingrid.

"We are just simple trainers passing by," Rebecca took over for Amy. "We've just started."

"I see." The old man said. "It is understandable since you all are novices. Let me advise you all then, do not involve yourselves with the Pandoras anymore; for your own safety.

'Too late for that.' Eric thought to himself.

"I thank you kids once more. Farewell." The old man lf the area from the direction the group came from.

"Are you sure you don't need an escort?" Rebecca questioned.

"I've spend many years around this cave, I know my way very well. Good bye." The old man vanished.

Ingrid let go of Amy, who was now being scorn.

"What was that for?!" She demanded.

"Amy are you out of your mind, attempting to expose our cause to that stranger?" Eric's tone was unsettling.

"Huh?" She said.

"Amy," Rebecca spoke this time, "You can't just reveal ourselves like that. Did you forget what my dad said? Never trust anyone. So we musn't tell others about our motives, otherwise the Pandoras will be on to us."

"If we can't trust him, then why did we end up saving him just now, rather why did we end up figting the Pandoras?! Didn't we plan on avoiding them? I thought we weren't even supposed to fight them at all." Amy started.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Eric began. "This battle against the Panoras have already begun, and the wheel was already in motion when you challenged the grunt back on Torace town. This event may have pushed them to move, but understand that we cannot avoid all encounter with them now."

"We will need to be extremely cautious." Rebecca said. "We will need to proceed with very organized plans from here on out."

"Yes." Eric said. "And we'll need good ones too. I heard them mention SIN."

The word made the room silent. The word echoed through their minds for a long time.

"Ugh, of all rotten luck." Rebecca said. "First the Pandora leader attempted to brainwash everyone, and now they send out SIN? Things can't get any worst."

"Wait." Amy interrupted. "What's this about sin? What's so bad about it?"

Eric just seem to have remembered that Amy was still new to all this. He took a deep breath before he can figure out how to begin explaining.

"SIN is the eyes and ears of the Pandoras. The secret weapon the Pandoras rely on. It is the network that breaches national security which allows them to watch from above, in order to spy on the world to see that their order is a just."

"Doesn't sin just mean 'wicked deed'?" Amy asked.

"SIN," Rebecca replied, "is an acronym, Amy. It stands for **S**pecial **I**ntelligence **N**etwork. Pandoras have always relied on SIN to gain access to large amount of information, an informations that may cause a lot harm if they end up on the Pandoras' hands. There are rumors goingon that SIN is operated by a single person, a mastermind behind everything, it might even be the Pandora regime himself."

"But," Eric began, "considerring how SIN is being hired and the fact that they rely on it so much, I doubt that's the case. In any case, the fact that SIN is also runing its helping hands with the Pandoras means a greater threat to us. We were lucky because SIN can't see us in caves, but as we enter town, we will have to be very careful from its satellite surveillance. Our actions earlier, if SIN saw it; who knows what we'll be up against next?"

"Okay then," Ingrid said. "We'll handle ourselves very carefully. And Amy, I recommend you be careful on what you say to people next time."

"Fine." Amy said, sounding upset. "Can we get out of here now? I think the stale cave air is starting to get to me."

"I agree." Eric admitted. "We'll formulate our plan once we camp outside." And the group went back on their tracks to find an exit. Fortunately, they've found it after few walks.

* * *

><p>The freshness of outside air rejuvenized everyone. After being in the cave for so long, they had the craving to see light again. The four trainers felt whole again as they stepped into the light.<p>

"HMPH!" Amy holded her longing to stretch and she finally let go of it. "Finally, we got out! I thought we would have to camp in their for the day."

"Good thing we got out then, because that might be even more dangerous than camping in the woods." Eric said. "Even if we got out of that cave, we still have to stay on track of our goals here. We need to plan carefully, remember tht SIN might be watching us as we speak."

"Well we went through that cave." Rebecca started. "But we still need to walk more miles in order to reach next town."

"Best opportunity to toughen ourselves up then." Eric pointed. "When we camp out next, we will discuss how to deal with the Pandoras."

"Okay, sounds fair." Amy spoke with determination. "Pandoras, watch yourselves. We will get to you guys, no matter what you throw at us."

The sun was setting towards the horizon, at the same direction where the group was heading. As they face trials, they proven to find ways to strengthen themselves, but they might also be makingmoe enemies. Just what were the Pandoras, and what did they really plan to? What are they trying to accomplish? Try to figure it out before te truth settles in.

* * *

><p><strong>God that was a long chapter. If only I've concentrated hard enough, I might have gotten this out faster. By the way, the fifth companion will be introduced in the next chapter. How will heshe get involved? Was this chapter satisfying? Leave comments please.**

**P.S. Their sketches will be posted soon, it will be posted on Lakevalor.**


	6. Chapter 6 Amnesiac

**I might as well post my next chapter while I can. How fare can the heroes journey with a dangerous organization tailing behind them? Find out.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 6: Amnesiac<span>**

* * *

><p>Somewhere far, in a warehouse 16 miles from the cave, a group of gangs were hanging out gambling with black jacks and arm wrestling. These criminals were hiding out in a territory which not many people ventures. The place was surrounded by rough terrains and junks lying around the ground; such as broken bottles, worn out shoes, useless tires, and tethered clothes. Some of these thugs were apparently bikers, since their motorcycle were parked by the werehouse. Inside was even worst, it reaked with smells of gasolines, the walls were concretes that appears to be burned, and there were trashed all over the place. In the center, a group of thugs were enjoy their debauchery while playing with their mobile cell phones. Somewhere within the building there was another room where more thugs were. One was standing right outside while more of them were in. They were discussing something.<p>

"Man, because of those Pandoras, we aren't making good business." Said one of the thugs. "If it wasn't for them, we might have been able make transport."

"Those scumbags are growing all of the sudden, I wonder why they decided to place their grunts all over the place all of the sudden." Another said.

"Did you boys saw that news broadcast when their leader mentioned something about a big change or something? Maybe it has something to do it them going all over the place." The conversation was bringing up all sorts of ideas. Before they bring up the matter any further, a bigger looking thug entered the room. He was dark skinned and wore a mobster suit.

"Did you guys manged to gain contact with the Malstroms?" The black thug asked.

"We send them the message and they have made no reply." One of them answered. "Must be busy with some political crap. Are all rich people like this?"

"I don't know Dickens," said the black thug, "one thing must be clear, and that is that rich people ar all uncaring and they only focuses on power. They put family at the bottom of their priority list. Apparently our attempt to blackmail this prick isn't easy as I imagined. We have his daughter under our custody now don't we?" the thug looked around and watched his cohorts. "How is the little lamb by the way? Is she being treated well?"

The thug walked towards the far side of the room, which was covered with shadows. Underneath the blackened shades was a lone figure, tied up and shackled by the chains. The figure was a female, wearing a white, silky dress with short skirt wearing a pair of high heel shoes. The girl had short green hairs tied like a twin pig-tail. The girl looked beaten and she was barely breathing under her conditions. The dark man approached the girl, who was unconscious.

"What a cute-looking rascal, rich folks must be proud of themselves huh?" He grabbed the girl's chin and raised her head towards his. The girl was young with bright skin and despite her youthful appearence she looked really pretty. "Such a waste. Well, not really. I'll have plans for her soon." The thug smirked and turned to his men behind him. "C'mon boy, we got things to be doing. Let's formulate plans with the others to devise a sheme against the Pandoras." The gangs then walked out of the room, leaving the shackled girl alone in there. When they slammed the door on their way out, a coat hanger hanging the girls belongings fell to the ground. Her belongings consisted of a prada bag tat contained several pokeballs. One of the pokeball rolled towards the girl and just when the button on the ball landed on the floor, it summoned a pokemon out of it. The pokemon was small, it was glowing, and it was floating.

"Bzz~" Said the pokemon. The pokemon wondered where it was. It looked around the place until it noticed the girl shakled in chains.

"BYYWW!" The pokemon approached the girl with sadness on its face. It circled around thegirl to detect any life in her. It rubbed itself with its electrical bodies. The shock from it forced her awake a bit.

"...ugh..." She hasn't fully recovered, and she was in no good state to focus either. As she went back in her unconscious state, the small pokemon was really determined to help the girl with however it could. The pokemon had an idea, it backe up for a bit, and with great speed, it released its pasma like whip to brea the chains holding her. The girl got loose, which made her fall. The pokemon tried to grab her, but she was too heay for it to lift in its small body. It put her on the floor for a bit and then it tried to lift her by holding her clothes with its plasma limbs. It didn't do too well but it didn't give up. Just then, a thug tried to enter the room.

"What the hells going on in there? Who's making that nose..." The thug entered room and was surprsed to see what he witness. The lone pokemon trying to help the girl out.

"Hey!" The thug approached the pokemon now. "What are you doing here?! Unhand that girl!" The thug came in violently, which made the pokemon react in an instant.

"Byoozzz!" The electrical pokemon set out its electrical charges and blasted a shockwave at the thug.

"Ugh!" The thug took damage from the shockwave and knocked him cold. He looked like he got hit by a taser.

It now was left with no better alternative, to save the girl, it would have to push her as best as it could. It tried lifting her and everything, the hugs nticed that it was trying to help the girl out of the room.

"Hey! Stop that thing from taking her!" The thugs were all charging towards it now.

"BBBWWWYYYY!" The pokemon let out its large **Shockwave **which stopped the gang on their tracks.

"Ugh!" The gangs were paralysed from the unbearable sounds which didn't last too long when the little guy used its taser-like body to knock them out, they were all knocked out cold now.

"Ugh...huh...?" The girl was half awake now. The pokemon continued its relentless attemp to get the girl out of the werehouse. As it managed to get itself and her out. As it stepped out, more thugs were outside, taking unlkely to its little rescue attempt.

"You've got guts little plasmic pest." The thug looked angry, and he was equipped with a blungeoning bat, as were all others. "But your little rescue plan ends here. Get that thing and bring the girl!"

The gangs were all coming towards it now. The pokemon tried to block the girl from them but they were too quick. They all swung their bats and mashed it hard as they could. The crowd looked like they were beating the crap out of it from the main guy's point of view. The leading figure approached their target and noticed that they weren't hitting the right target.

"Stop, stop!" The thug yelled. At that command, they moved away. When they did, they realized that the thing they were hitting with their bats wasn't the pokemon, but a figuring of a Substitute doll.

"Crap, it used** Substitute **to escape with the girl," The thug said. "So where did it go?"

Suddenly, they heard an engine revved up. It came from the area where they parked their motorbikes.

"What the-" The thugs saw to their disbelief that the pokemon was taking control of one of their bikes with the girl riding on it, she was also carrying the rest of her stuffs.

"Hey! That's my bike!" One of the thug shouted. The pokemon 'possessed' the bike and drove it out of the area.

"Go after that thing! The boss will have our heads once he finds out that we lost that girl within our grasp!" The thugs got in all of their remaiing bikes and attempted to go after the pokemon.

The chase went on in the hillside near the forest. The gang brought out their speedy pokemons like Mightyenas to go after the runaways. They all blasted their **Shadow Ball**s in order to slow it down. The pokemon amazingly maneuvered itself in its bike form to avoid their attacks. It was then about to reach a large ditch. It was unsure whether it could make he jump over, but it was all or nothing. The pokemon braced itself and made the leap. With its great speed, it managed to get across the chasm. The gangs stopped at their tracks, unable to follow it now. The pokemon got away successfully with the girl on its back.

"Great," One of the bike thug said. "We will have to inform the boss the bad news."

* * *

><p>The pokemon was moving slowly on its bike form with the girl on its back. It made sure that they were no longer followed. Once it realized that they were safe, the pokemon got off the motorcycle, and placed the girl on the ground. They were safe, but for how long? The pokemon knew she needed help, she was bruised and was unconscious for so long. The pokemon panicked, wondering what to do. It had no choice, although it didn't want to leave her, it had to run off and find the nearest help somewhere. The pokemon rubbed on the girl, promising that it wll come back for her.<p>

"Bwz~" The pokemon then left to look for help.

* * *

><p>Somewhere in 6 miles, the group were walking on the hill side of the woody terrain, surrounded by rivers beneath. The day grew darker so they traveled with miniature flashlights attached to their bags. Rebecca was using her laptop to navigate themselves throught the route as they walked.<p>

"Only few miles before we reach the next town." She assured. "But we are going to have to camp out for the night. Once it gets dark, it's going to be difficult getting out of here. Even with our lights, visibility is minimal and there will be rough terrains to walk on."

"Not to mention the wild pokemons." Ingrid reminded the group about their experience back at the forest.

"Let's not camp in the woods then." Eric suggested. "We should sleep by the river for access to waters. We are getting short on them."

"Yeah," Amy said. "and I need to wash too."

The group made it out of the hillside and managed to reach the plain patch by the river before the sun disappeared entirely. They walked a bit more, the area still was close to the forest near them and the sound of the river flowing made he woods seem a bit eerie. Suddenly, the wind blew all of the sudden, which frightened Amy. The chill made her forcibly grab onto something.

"Kyah!" She cried.

"It's okay," Rebecca assured. "it's just a wind."

"Oh." Amy felt relieved, and then slowly she realized what she just did. Her arms were holding onto Eric's left arm.

"Uh..um..." Amy let go of him, blushing and feeling embarassed. "sorry about that."

"Heh." Eric chuckled. "You are cute when frightened."

"Hey," Amy started. "don't tease me-"

Before she could lecture him for him teasing her, the group heard something comeing their way.

"What's that sound?" Ingrid asked.

"Sounds like a radiowave of sorts." Rebecca thought.

"Whatever it is," Eric said. "it seem to be getting louder, as if its coming this way."

And he was right, from the other side of the river, a glowing light was floating and was traveling slowly.

"What is that? a light?" Amy wondered.

"No it's a-" Eric realized. "a pokemon."

The glowing pokemon tha was searching for help caught its eye on the trainers walking by the river. It then quickly approached them, relieved but still in panic. It tried to communicate with them right away.

"Aww..." Amy beamed. "A Rotom! It's so cute! I want to catch it." She took out her pokeball.

"Hold on, I think it's trying to tell us something." Eric said as he put his arm on Amy's way.

The Rotom tried desperately to tell the group that there was a girl who's unconscious not far from here and that she needed medical help because of her wounds inflicted by the gangs who were also on her tails.

"Bzzzzt bzzt! Byyyeeep! Bweeep! Byyooo byo!"

"Hmhmhm!" Amy giggled. "It's really cute when it's trying to speak to us like this."

"Um," Rebecca began, "We are sorry little guy, but I'm afraid we aren't going to interpret what you are telling us as long as you are speaking the pokemon language. I can tell it's urgent though, judging by how desperate you look. But can you inform us in a way we can all understand?"

After Rebecca advised, the Rotom improvised by communicating through charades. It turned itself into a shape of a neon arrow, point across the direction opposite of the river.

"Judging by its charades," Eric began. "I think it wants us to follow it."

The Rotom nodded and then it tried to guide them towards its direction.

"C'mon," Eric said while on the pokemon's trail. "Let's get this over with."

The group agreed and they all followed the pokemon to the woods not far from them.

* * *

><p>The group entered the woods, despite their earlier plan not to enter them during the dark. The Rotom have guided them where it left the wounded girl lying on the ground by one of the trees.<p>

"Look! A girl!" Amy pointed.

"So that's what the pokemon was trying to tell us." Eric said.

The Rotom approached the girl with sad expression, it was now begging them to help her.

"Don't worry little guy." Rebecca crouched. "I can help her. My mom was a nurse so I do have a bit of medical expertise."

Rebecca examined the girl carefully. She checked her vital signs, thermal temperatures, and even observed her retinas for any symptoms.

"She's alright." Rebecca assured. "But she'll need medical support to have any chance of recovering. Good thing I've got the perfect medicine for her." Rebecca reached into her bag and got a vial of medicine out o it. She reached for the bag again. "All I need now is-" She searched her bag but was unable to find what she was looking for. "Crap, I didn't bring my tube pipe. Without it, I won't be able to feed it to her."

"Why don't you just feed her the medicine with the spoon?" Amy asked.

"Bad idea." Eric said. "You can't just simply feed the medicine inside an unconscious person, because it could choke the person. No, you have to feed him/her through rehabilitation, in order to ensure the medicine both solid and liquid would go all the way down the person's esophagus."

"I never thought we would encounter situation like this." Rebecca adjusted her glasses. "So I never bothered to bring my tube. Obviously we can't go back to the lab so we'll need to improvise."

"Hold on, I've got an idea." Eric said. He took the medicine and he drank it.

"Eric what are you-" Rebecca was startled. Eric blocked her with his hand and assured that he knew what he was doing. He got closer to the girl's face and then reached for her lips. He pressed his own lip to hers and fed the medicine through his mouth.

"Oh." Rebecca felt relieved. "You are a genius Eric, you really are."

Eric continued his feeding process and managed to get the liquid inside her system and through her throat. From Amy's point of view, it looked like he was simply giving her the wake up kiss, like the prince kissing the sleeping beauty to wake her up from her eternal slumber. After Eric finished feeding her, he wiped off the drip of medicine flowing down from her mouth with his hankerchief.

"She should be fine now." Eric said.

"Yeah but we still have to tend to her external wounds." Rebecca took out another medicine that was meant to put on the victim's skin.

"Ingrid, can you make campfire? We need to warm her up." Rebecca requested, and Ingrid gathered woods and made fie out of her hand.

"Amy, bring some waters from the river. We may have to soak her with water to wipe her wounds and prevent disinfection." Rebecca suggested.

"Okay." Amy ran off, carrying her cooking pot to carry the water.

"Eric, can you set up your sleeping bag for her to sleep on?"

"Of course." Eric assured. "Leave it to me, doctor."

Rebecca laughed from his remark and continued to tend to the girl while Eric brought out is sleeping bag.

* * *

><p>The camp was set and the girl was resting in the safe distance within the group, with the Rotom watching her. The group were watching the campfire and had Amy cook some porridge for the girl. As the night became older, time went by for as long as they could count the hours. Few more passed by and finally, the girl was beginnin to come around.<p>

"Ugh..." the girl spoke, unable to fully catch up with her mind with her body. The group heard her voice and turned to her.

"She's awake it seems." Eric pointed. Rebecca and Amy approached the girl.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked the girl.

"I..." the girl began. "I'm not sure...where...?"

"You are in the forest outskirt of Effegeri town, 10 miles from there." Rebecca told her. "You were unconscious for so long, so we tend to you for your health. Glad to see that you are better, considering the wounds you've received."

"I was..." the girl spoke again. "...wounded? How?"

"Hey, that's something you should know." Amy said. "Who are you and how did you end up hurt in the woods?"

"Huh?" The girl said with her undertoned voice, she appeare to be confused.

"We founded you in this place, with external damages on your skins and bruises." Eric said. "If it wasn't for your Rotom, we may never have founded you here."

"My...Rotom?" The girl asked. Then the pokemon that rescued her got close to her, happily relieved that she was now safe and it rubbed on her with great joy.

Eric pointed at Rotom. "That pokemon was extremly attached to you, it even went far as finding us for help. You should be grateful to it. Seeing how it care for you, I assume it belonged to you."

"I see." She looked at the Rotom and said, "Thank you, I am at your dept."

"Byorrzzzz!" zapped the Rotom.

"Well now you can tell us." Amy leaned towards the girl. "Who are you? And how did you end up here?"

"I..." the girl started to think, to see if she can recall anything, anything she could remember. Strangely however, she didn't. She couldn't even remember her own name.

"I don't know." She admitted. "Who am I?"

The four trainers were puzzled just as her.

"You don't remember?" Amy asked. "How is that-"

Rebecca interrupted. "Whatever happened to her must have somehow triggered amnesia. It is actually something that could happen when the person's brain either took a unbaring strike on her head or was given some kind of a drug that disables circulatory memory storage system. I've checked her head for possible head injury; but there was none so she certainly wasn't hit on the head. In time she will regain her memories in time, the question is though, when would that be."

"I'm sorry," The girl said. "I am just as confused as you. I don't even know my own name."

"It's Heather." Eric suddenly said, forcing everyone to face him.

"How do you know that?" Amy asked.

"It's written on her bracelet." Eric pointed at the ornament she was wearing on her right wrist. It was indeed a bracelet. The bracelet was made of velvet yarn and had seven wooden beads with letters on them. The letters spelled: H-E-A-T-H-E-R; Heather.

"There are many bracelets with person's name written on them, that one is no different." Eric said. "It is currently the only clue to your lost identity. So until you fully recover your memory, you will be called Heather."

"I am..." Heather began. "That's right...my name is Heather. But that's about it."

"So what do we do with her?" Amy questioned.

"No choice." Rebecca said. "We are going to have to look after her, after all we did watch over her so that makes us responsible for her welfare. We will have to have her join us until we can locate her parent who she must have gotten seperated from."

"Hmhmhm!" Ingrid giggled for some reason. "It looks like we've received yet another maiden among us. Welcome child, I'll look after you like a sister."

Heather saw the attractive goth girl, she was startled by her creepy demeanor.

"*gasp*!" Heather hid herself in her arms, acting frightened.

Amy laughted at this. "Ha ha, Heather is afraid of you Ingrid. Maybe you should keep some distance from her."

"Hmph, watch your tongue Amy or I might put a curse on you." Ingrid said with serious tone.

"Girls," Eric said. "As nice as this conversation this may have turned out, I think it is time that we turn ourselves in. It's getting late and Heather wuld need to rest more to regain full recovery.

They agreed and they put out the campfire and put themselves in the sleeping bags. Heather shared bed with Amy, since there was not enough beds for five of them. Heather may not have remembered her past, but she could tell that her slumber with the group would be the best kind she ever had.

* * *

><p>Morning came up and they have already finished packing up to continue their path. Heather's addition have lighten up the mood among them. The girls were talking now. Heather's Rotom was floating by her as usual.<p>

"Byort!" The Rotom cried.

"I see, so you are my companion. Will you be faithful to me then?"

"Bzzzt!" The Rotom cried again.

"Of course, thank you for your service. You mut have been great to me before my amnesia got to me."

"Wow Heather." Amy said, almost surprised. "You can actually speak with pokemons! It's like you know what they are saying."

"I don't know why," Heather said. "But for some reason, I know what it is saying. Is it magic?"

"It's like telepathy," Ingrid said. "A unique ability which some trainers can wield. Just like my telekenesis powers."

"You have strange powers too?" Now it was Heather who was intrigued.

"Yes." Ingrid said. "So I guess that makes us sisters, kind of huh?"

Heather giggled. "Yeah, I suppose." They were now a lot closer than their skirmish from last night.

From the distance, the group were being watched from the eyes of four gangsters on their motorcycle from the hilltop right above them. They noticed that among the group was a girl, the same exact girl which they were going after yesterday.

"Tell boss that we have located her." The thug with the binocular informed. The other thug phoned their boss about the girl and received direct orders.

_"Capture her, and take out the others."_ As he hung up, their plans were no in motion.

They were still walking by the river, the girls were talking while Eric was ahead; looking around. Eric's instinct took place all of the sudden. He felt a sudden chill of a presence coming from somewhere. He slowly traced it, which directed right above them. And then, he saw it. Several individuals on ther motorcycles. One of them unleashed his pokemon, a graveler, which lifted a large rock attempting to throw it at the group. After it tossed, Eric reacted in an instant; he took out a pokeball and summoned his own pokemon.

"Eelectross!** Dragon Claw**!" Eric shouted.

Just as his pokemon got summoned, Eelectross raised its claws and crumbled the thrown rock with all its might with its flaring claw.

"**Flamethrower**!" Eric commanded, and the eel pokemon blasted its flames right at the ones who attempted to assault them from distant.

As the attack landed the thugs closer to the hillside edge fell on the ground at the same elevation as the group was.

"Crap...how did this happen." One of the fallen thug said.

"Assaulting from within the shadow, what are you douchbags?" Eric asked.

"Wha...what just happened?" Amy asked, she and the othr girls were just as surprised as she was.

"Someone tried to attack us." Eric answered. "And I have found the culprits responsible. I ask again, who are you guys?"

"Grr," one of the thugs got on his feet. "We are just bunch of petty crooks who were hiding around this part of the area. It was our perfect hang-out zone until those bastards Pandoras stated roaming all over the place. Our business have gotten harder to operate so we tried to start a new one without Pandoras knowing. And recently we devised one." The thug pointed at Heather. "That brat was part ofour scheme to blackmailing and we intend to get her back to the boss as soon as we can. So why don't you kids just hand her over nice and easy? And get your butt off adult business!"

Amy got in front of Heather as if she wanted to protect her. "Do you think we are going to hand her to bunch of criminals like you?! Fat chance!" She took out her pokeball and began tossing it.

"Go Scizor! I choose you!" Amy send out her favorite bug type pokemon.

"Sci Zor!" The Scizor cried.

"C'mon, let's help them." Rebecca suggested with her pokeball on her hand.

"Yes." Ingrid took out her pokeball too. "No one shall get to my new sister without a challenge." Then they boh threw their pokeball.

"Go Porygon-Z!" Rebecca cried.

"You too Gengar!" Ingrid also cried.

"Boryo!" Porygon-Z said upon its summon.

"Gen Gar!" So did the Gengar.

The four trainers' pokemons were standing at the battlefield before them.

"Damn! They got strong pokemons!" Admitted the thug. "Boys hold them out until the boss arrives!"

"Okay!" Said the rest of them. And they all smmoned their mightyenas in the battlefield.

"Get them!" At the command, all of them charged right towards them.

"Get crazy." Eric granted Eelectross permission to freely attack without his command. The pokemon decided to fight them with its **Dragon Claw** move.

"Trawl!" The eel pokemon clashed with one of the Mightyena and started an almost one-sided battle between them.

"Scizor! **Iron Head** on that Graveler!" Amy was determined to face the one who atacked them in the first place.

"Zor!" The Scizor performed its **Iron Head** attack towards the Graveler in the field. The pokemon took big hit from the attack.

"Porygon-Z! Unleash your **Tri Attack**!" Rebecca commanded.

"Boryo!" The Porgon-Z performed a move which made its arms and its mouth glow into three different colors. Then it unleashed a three primary color beams towards aother Mightyena.

"Gengar, use **Sludge Bomb**!" Ingrid shouted.

"Gar!" Gengar shot a gunk of poisonous ball right on the third Mightyena.

The battle was fierce, and it did not look good to the thugs, who were watching their pokemons getting beaten by the kids' pokemons. No doubt that they were very powerful.

"Grr! Damn it, we are losing!" The thug was giving up hope.

"Are you idiots that weak enough to be taken down by a bunch of little brats?" A gruff voice said from behind them. It was the dark-skinned man who could only be their boss.

"Boss! You arrived!" The gangs were feeling relieved.

Heather took a glance at the main mob man ad came to a revelation. 'He was the man who kidnapped me.' Heather suddenly approached the battlefield with unpleasant emotion growing within her.

"Heather?" Amy said. "What are you-"

"Thank you guys." Heather said. "But I want to be the one fighting this guy. He was the one...the man responsible for my capture."

"What?" The rest of the group were shocked.

"Well if it isn't the bratty girl we caught." The boss mob said as he approached the battlefield. "So it's true, you did arrive. How did you managed to get out of our lair? No matter, I am here to reclaim you."

"I am not a property." Heather said. "I don't even know who you gentleman are, I don't even know how I ended up with you in the first place. But I am sure of one thing. No one attacks my friends and gets away with it." Her words pleased the four of them. "Rotom!" Her Rotom came to her side.

"Bzzt~" zapped the pokemon. It too was prepared to fight for her.

"Hmph! If that's how you want to play then fine. Lets play." The mob boss took out his pokeball and started to toss it to the field.

"Go Arbok!" The mob leader send out his pokemon through his pokeball.

"Jarbokka!" Arbok cried.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Heather insisted.

"Bzzt!" Rotom agreed and stayed focus.

"Arbok! **Bite** on it!" Mob leader commanded.

"Bok!" Arbok raised its fangs and attempted to bite the Rotom at great speed.

"Rotom! **Shockwave**!" Heather yelled out.

"Bzzt!" The Rotom emitted the electrical force and blasted it at the attacking Arbok.

"Jar!" Arbok took the hit but it was far from being out.

"Hang in there! Now use **Foresight** on that thing!"

The Arbok took a great glance at Rotom for a bit before attacking again.

"Rotom! Fight it with **Ominous Wind**!" Heather cried.

"Bzzt!" The Rotom began emitting gust of strange-looking wind from its mouth which landed directly at Arbok.

"Krt!" Arbok was trying to hold still from the attack, apparently though it couldn't keep itself from taking hit.

"Now I'll show you what I'm truly made of. Arbok! **Bind** it badly!"

"Gyar!" The Arbok charged itself at Rotom and grabbed it with its loong body.

"Byortz!" The Rotom was being crushed by the strong might of Arbok's tail, which did not look good. It painfully whimpered in great agony.

"Hey wait a minute!" Amy cried all of the sudden with sudden realization. "How could it hurt Rotom with **Bind**? Isn't it a normal-type attack? I thought normal attacks can't hurt ghost-type pokemons like Rotom, so how can it-"

"I'll tell you." Eric spoke. "Do you recall when his Arbok used the move **Foresight** on Rotom?"

Amy remembered Arbok performing a strange move involving it staring closely at Rotom. "Yeah?"

"The move **Foresight** allowed it to bypass and ignore Ghost-types immunity to normal-type attacks, therefore it allowed itself to actually make contact with the aparition. Yes, Rotom is now vulnerable from those attacks and therefore Arbok was able to attack it with **Bind**."

Amy listened and watched Heather, who was beginning to feel helpless from watching her pokemon suffer from Arbok's tightning constriction.

"Rotom!" Heather cried to it. She could not bear to watch it being squeezed anymore.

"Bzzt...bzzzt..." The Rotom suddenly said.

"What?" Heather was sure Rotom was trying to communicate with her just now.

"Bzzzt...bzzzzt..." Rotom spoke once more. It managed to deliever its message from its state.

"I've got it." Heather understood what it wanted her to hve it do.

"Get out of there by using **Substitute**!" Heather brought the words out.

"Bzzt!" The Rotom began shrouding itself with white smoke, Arbok wondered what it was doing.

"Slam it to the ground!" The mob boss yelled at it.

"Jarbokka!" The Arbok slammed it hard to the gruond and released its tail from it. The smoke finally cleared out and to its disbelief, it found out that it was a substitute doll that it just pinned down.

"What the-" The mob boss was also in awe. "Where did it go?!"

Arbok was also looking around to see where its opponent went to.

"Rotom! Use **Electra Ball**!" Heather commanded it.

"Bzzt!" The cry came from above. Arbok finally realized that it was being targeted.

"Crap! Arbok quick! Fight it with-"

"Too late!" Heather assured. **Electra Ball** was a move that was effective with great speed of light, and Rotom wielded great enough speed.

The Rotom covered itself with large electrical sphere and landed its attack on Arbok beneath it. The impact from the move was so devastating and Arbok got slammed hard to the ground. The pokemon was unable to continue fighting.

"Grr! I can't believe she took my Arbok out!" The mob boss was furious. "No matter, I'll take her by force if I have to!" His attempt for retrieving was short lived however when they became surrounded by bunch of Pandora forces around them.

"Hold it right there!" Cried the Pandora chief officer. You all have right to remain silent! We have come to detain you for causing a big ruckus under Pandora Territory."

Then more agents arrived. This time they wore dark uniforms wearing caps and face-shaped masks, all of them were wielding clubs and tonfas

"We received reports that there has been sight of criminals lurking these areas. Looks like our sources were right." One of the elite agents said.

Amy pointed at them looking at Eric, she was questioning about them without talking.

"Pandora elite guards," He answered after comprehending Amy trying to ask about them. "They are highly advanced units working under Pandora branch. They are highly skilled and dangerous." Eric finished informing her.

They all saw that they were too many of them. Was this it for them? The officer then approached Amy, Eric, and the rest of their gangs. He was also dress with uniforms but he wore trench coats and a commander's hat, and he wore many badges.

"As for you kids," He began. "We were told to bring you all into questioning. It seems you were all responsibe for harassment of one of the Pandora guards."

Amy tried to argue but Eric prevented her. He knew their situation was already worst enough as it is.

"I'm sorry to say that we were told to apprehend you so for your own sake-"

Heather reacted and took out her pokeball and threw it beneath her. Out came another pokemon she had remembered that she had.

"Larva~" Said the Larvatar.

"Use **Sandstorm**!" Heather cried.

"Lar!" The Larvitar spun itself and them summoned the gust of sandstorm from it. The group were surrounded by the dust and it blinded the Pandora guards' sights.

While covering himself, the Padora chief officer took out his own pokeball and threw it to send his pokemon.

"Chaw!" Cried the bird pokemon.

"Pidgeot, clear away the sandstorm with** Hurricane**!" The officer commanded.

"Pidgeot!" The Pidgeot flapped its wings as fast as it could and blasted a largegust of winds to clear away the dust smokes. The storm cleared out but the five trainers they were about to capture were gone.

"*sigh*" The Chief Officer breathed under his mask.

"Chief, shall we run a search for them?" One of the guards asked.

"Don't bother." The chief said. "We'll deal with those brats some other time. But for now-" He turned to the mob boss cuffed up with the rest of his cohorts and face him.

"Argh!" The mob boss flinched as the chief officer got close to his ugly face.

"I've got scores to settle with the mobsters." He stood up straight. "Find their lair and capture the rest of them."

"Yes sir!" the guards obeyed and made their move. The chief officer gazed towards the sky and decided to make a call.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, somewhere in the distant, the group managed to make it out of the Pandoras' grasp thanks to Heather's impressive performance with use of her Diglet. Right when it used <strong>Sandstorm<strong>, it used **Dig** to creat them an alternat escape route and then covered the dugged-up holes as if the holes were never there. They now have gotten out and made it to an open field, away from the trees and of course, from the Pandoras.

"I have to say," Eric began, "I am quite impressed that you managed to got us out of there. Thank you Heather, perhaps you were once a skilled trainer before you lost your memory."

"Thank you." Heather was flustered.

"Yeah! You rocked back there!" Amy gave her a hug. "If i wasn't for you,we might have spen our adventuring times in prison, or worst!"

"But how did you know what to do?" Rebecca asked.

"I," Heather spoke, "I heard one of my pokemons talking from one of my pokeballs. It was this little one." She stared at the Larvitar right by her feet.

"Larva?" Cried the pokemon.

"After it spoke, I began to formulate what to do within our situation and then I simply played along with it. I knew it was risky, but I thought I had to do what seemed right. Now those Pandoras will be looking for us."

"Don't worry Heather." Ingrid said, "Our fight with the Pandoras have already started. We could have surrendered but you presented us with options. You were brave." Ingrid hugged Heather. "Really brave."

"Thanks..." Heather said. Eric approached her then.

"We are in your dept, so for our gratitude, we wish to welcome you among us. You have prove to be valuable and I promise that we will find your family."

Heather was lost for words. "Really?" She asked.

Rebecca presented her with a pokedex and am Xtransciever. "Yeah, really. Welcome aboard."She said with a smile.

The whole gang praised her and they all got along really well.

"How do you think they found us so fast?" Amy wondered.

"SIN." Eric could think of no other explaination. "Our influence have brought attention to SIN already. We should be very careful where we go from now on."

They all nodded.

"So what now?" Amy asked.

"Once we reach Effegerie town," Eric began, "We purchase attires to travel in incognito from the Pandoras, and formulate our next steps."

"Well then we should get moving then." Rebecca spoke.

"Okay! Next stop, Effegerie Town!" Amy cried.

"You are starting to sound like a certain trainer who would make victory pose everytime he receive a gym badge." Eric felt annoyed.

"Heh heh, sorry." Amy spoke apologetically. And the group continued towards another route, the Effra Park.

* * *

><p>Back at the werehouse where the thugs made it their hideout, chief officer of Pandoras was making a call.<p>

"Yes sir, we are certain." He replied to his phone receiver.

_"In that case, they are guilty as charged."_ The deep computerized voice spoke "_Post their faces all over town and inform the civilians of their arrests. Those kids are charged for the kidnapping of the daughter of the famous Maltroms estate. SIN will assist you with this deed, do I make myself clear chief officer?"_

"Yes sir Van Damien." Chief officer relied.

_"Good. I have got other things to deal with in the base. Once you contact SIN, get him to contact me. When I'm too busy to speak with him, give him this message. Find 'Andromeda' at all costs. Are we clear?"_

"Yes sir." Chief officer said.

_ "Then I'll be counting on you. Farewell, officer."_ And then the line went dead.

The chief officer put the phone back in his pocket. He then went towards the hideout to deal with the remaining thugs.

Meanwhile, within the shadows a certain figure was watching the scene, whoever he was he heard the conversation between the chief officer and the Pandora leader.

'Van Damien,' the figure in the shadow thought, 'What is that bastard up to?'

The figure stood up straight and turned away. "I don't owe him anything, but it's what she would have wanted. I must warn Eric." Then the Figure dissapeared within the shadows. Just what is really going on here? What did the Pandoras have in store for our heroes? Who was Heather, really? The answers will hold the greatest key to the whole mystery within this story. The key within the answer is time itself.

* * *

><p><strong>So many things happening at once, Pandoras catching up to the heroes; new characters introduced; and the antagonist making his move. And about the mysterious character in the end, how is he connected to Eric you ask? All I can say is that he is a vital part of Eric's mysterious past. Anyway, were you all surprised that the next chapter came out quick? Progress is good so far, and I hope I haven't dissapointed any of you so far. How was the story? Keep in touch just in case I post another chapter.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7 Reminiscence

**I have returned. Here's another quick posted chapter and...oh just read it.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 7: Reminiscence<span>**

* * *

><p>The Effra Park was known to be one of the peaceful route ever existed in Santera. No wild pokemons and rough enviroments, just peaceful path full of tourists and man-made multi-colored pavements surrounding abtracts and fountains. Underneath the lofty clouds and blistful skies, the five trainers were walking through the mosaic path, through the bridge and grassy field. Heather looked around, feeling like it was the first time seeing such place.<p>

"This place," She whispered, "looks nice."

"Heather," Ingrid called her. "Do you have any other pokemons besides your Rotom and Larvatar?"

"Let me check." Heather looked through her Prada bag and looked through her belongings which she could not remember ever having. Unlike her bracelet however, none of these materials were able to trigger her memories from returning. She inspected the unknown from her own bag and saw several pokeballs were in it. Three of them in fact. Heather recognize the two of them since she used them earlier this morning.

"My, you got three pokemons already." Ingrid said. "God wonders how you have spend your life before the one you found with your amnesia."

"So what's your third pokemon?" Amy asked.

"Let's find out." Heather took out the pokeball and spawned a pokemon out of it. The pokemon was short, blue-colored, and looked like a jackal.

"Rio!" Cried the pokemon.

Rebecca crouched close to the pokemon and adjusted her glasses. "Wow, a Riolu. You don't see this pokemon very much around this region. Heck, you can't even find a _Rotom_ anywhere in Santera. I wonder how Heather obtained these pokemons in he first place."

Eric joined the conversation. "There is one way to obtained them. Auction. Rich people pay large amount of money to receive pokemons transfered through shipping from faraway region. Then they bet them with rising high biddings and obtained them if they bid high enough. I assume Heather is from a rich family of sorts."

The girls looked at Heather, amazed. "You certain she's from a rich family?" Amy asked.

"It's highly possible." Eric was sure. "She wears cachmere dress, an expensive high-heels, and I know that only rich people can afford prada bags these days."

"Well," Rebecca stared at her once more. "We might be able to confirm it if she had any ID cards, like a trainers card."

"I checked my bag already, I had nothing that looked like a card in them." Heather assured.

"Weird," Rebecca said. "almost every trainers contains ID card, especially if they are rich."

"Maybe legally." Eric said.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked.

"In Santera," Eric started. "Legal age to receive a trainer's card is 15. Same age as Amy. And from the way I see it, Heather looks a lot younger than her."

"I guess that's true." Rebecca said. "But if she has no card, how could she carry pokemons? She also looked like she's had experience with battling."

"That's another mystery in her hands." Eric said. "Perhaps she'll have her answers once her memory returns. In the meantime, she should learn to get the hang of her battling skills. Let's start by teaching her the basics, there's a chance that she'll some assistance due to her loss of memory."

"I'll watch over her then." Ingrid went an grabbed Heather. "Let me teach you how to capture a pokemon. It' a good opportunity to make use of your Riolu. What do you say little sis?"

Heather nodded, interested.

"Okay!" Ingrid spoke in an excited voice. "Let us go to a nearby grass patch where wild pokemons might be in."

"C'mon Riolu, let's go." Heather called to it.

"Rio!" Riolu cried and followed the two girls.

"Well it looks like those two decided on their plans for today." Rebecca said. "Hey, maybe we should also think about finding wild pokemons around here too. It might help with filling in our pokedexes."

"Good idea. I'll also go look around for sight seeing." Eric decided. "What will you do Amy?"

"I think I'll also go look for wild pokemons." Amy said.

"Okay then." Rebecca said. "We'll split up for a while, we'll regroup later. Oh and watch out for any Pandora guards while you are at it."

The three also went to their own seperate directions and ventured around the park.

* * *

><p>Amy passed by other tourists as she walked around the peaceful mosaic path. Her surroundings consisted of lakes, grassy fields and of course, bunch of wild pokemons. Pidoves were flying around, wild Flebebe were dancing around the meadows, and several Feebases were swimming in the lake. Several guys walked by and saw Amy walking and blushed by their sight of her, apparently she was beautiful enough to attract their attentions. She finally entered a field that didn't connect to park path. She began to see among the wild pokemons within the area, she didn't found any of them interesting.<p>

"Hmmm," Amy still looked around. "I was hoping for pokemons that seems fun, all I've seen are boring. *sigh* Maybe I should have joined Ingrid and Heather, at least I get to see Heather learning. Or even Eric, who tells me interesting tidbits. I wonder-" Amy stopped short when she heard a noise somewhere.

"Ro!" It was a cry of a pokemon.

"What's that sound?" Curious, Amy went to the source of the noise. She went around the flowery patch by the lake and found oout what was all the ruckus, and saw an unpleasing sight.

"Ral!" A pokemon was crying, surrounded by a bunch of Ekans harassing it.

"Oh crap!" Amy took out a pokeball from her bag.

"Go Togetic!" She threw it.

"Piyo!" The Togetic cried.

"Togetic! Save that Ralts from those Ekans! Use **Return**!" Amy directed it.

"Piyo!" The Togetic glowed and charged right towards the Ekans and then put the hurt on them.

The snake pokemons scattered and were now focused on her Togetic. The Ekans retaliated with **Slam** attack.

"Togetic! Dodge their attacks and use** Metronome**!"

At her signal, Togetic performed its usual metronome-styled hand signs and used a random move. The Togetic used the move, **Water Shuriken**, it gathered a blast of waters on its hand and threw a shardd of spinning water blades at them. The move landed on the Ekans.

"Hissa!" The Ekans felt overpowered and began to retreat back into the bushes.

Amy and Togetic moved towards the injured Ralts by the bush.

"Oh my god, are you alright?" Amy questioned. She began observing the pokemon to see where it was hurt. To her surprise, it didn't looked like it was in pain at all. But the pokemon looked frightened. Amy tried making contact with it as careflly as she could.

"Hau!" The frightened Ralts crouched in fear, looking away from her in shivering.

But Amy did not turned away from it, she wanted to help the pokemon no matter what. "It's okay. You have nothing to fear." Amy assured. "Let me help you, please."

The Ralts slowly turned to her, unsure of what she was doing. It realized that she wasn't trying to hurt it but rather help it. The Ralts was shaking, but it found enough courage to reach out for her hand. As it made contact, the Ralts no longer felt frightened. It then got closer to her as Amy crouched towards it and she picked it up.

"There there, it's gonna be alright." Amy assured in her soft voice.

"Hmm." The Ralts hummed under the softness from Amy's kindness.

"You are safe now." Amy said. "How about I take you back to your family?"

There was a sudden silence from the Ralts. Amy wondered what was wrong with it and decided to check on it. She noticed that it was crying.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked to it. She thought about it for a while and came up with a conclusion. "You lost your family, didn't you?"

The Ralts nodded. Amy began to understand, the Ralts had faced the same thing she did; a loss of a family member. Amy remembered the last time she saw her father; he looked right into her in her eyes and told her to be strong. And then, what happened afterwards was a horrific image of a dark figure behind him grabbing his head and have slashed his neck. Thankfully, her Scizor got her out of her there to save her from the sight of him getting burned later.

Amy's mind returned to reality when her Togetic poked her out of her trance.

"Huh?" Amy said.

"Piyo piyo." Her Togetic pointed at the Ralts, showing her that it was resting on her laps.

"Hmmm, I wonder." Amy picked up the Ralts closer to her head. The Ralts stared back at her, looking tired.

"Say Ralts." Amy said. "How about you join me on a quest?"

Her unexpected offer made Ralts tilt its head sideway in question. "Oh?"

"I can offer you comfort, foods, and the best part is you won't even have to be alone. You will never be alone because you'll be accompanied by my other pokemons among my parties. We may not be related, but we can still be a family. What do you say?"

Amy's Togetic came next to Ralts and gave it a pet on the head. It was pleased to see its new friend.

"Piyo!" Togetic cried.

"So, will you come?" Amy asked once more.

Ralts stood still for a while. And then, it grabbed tightly to Amy, tellig her that it would be glad to come with her.

"Okay! Welcome aboard!" Amy stood up while holding onto the Ralts up in the air. She celebrated and they all went back to rejoin with her group.

* * *

><p>Back on the park plaza, Heather was speaking with her new pokemon she catched thanks to Ingrid's help. Her new pokemon was not singular but rather divided with multiple headbodies shaped like bunch of eggs.

"Egegeg." The pokemon cried in unison.

"Wow," Rebecca stared at it with amazement. "Not bad for your first try Heather. Exeggute is one of the few pokemons out there with unique type combination."

Heather, Ingrid, and Rebecca were talking about Heather's accomplishment; while Eric was just leaning on a lampost nearby while watching them in silence. After a while, Amy came into view; she was waving at them.

"Hey guys! Hey~!" Amy approached the group with bright emotions. The group stared towards her after hearing her cheery voice.

Amy finally reached them and joined up. "Hey guys, I want to show you guys something." Amy noticed the Exeggute right beneath Heather. "Oh wow, Heather did you catch that pokemon? That's great!"

"Thanks." Heather said.

"That's really great, in fact I caught a pokemon too, and I didn't even have to battle to catch it because it willingly joined me after I saved it." Amy looked towards her left feet and called to it. "It's alright, you can come out now."

At that moment, her newly caught Ralts appeared by her left ankle. It stayed hidden while it took a peak up front.

"Hi..." The Ralts spoke in its soft voice, apparently it was extremly timid.

"Don't worry, it's shy." Amy faced them now. "What do you guys think? Pretty good huh? I never even thought I would find a Ralts anywhere around here, in fact anywhere in this _region_. Let alone have it to join my party without battling it, impressive right? I bet you that not many trainers in this region even have a Ralts and-"

Eric approached the group and took out one of his pokeballs and spawned a pokemon out of it. As it got spawned, Amy took notice of it right away and also noticed how it look very familiar.

"-and...and you have one too." Amy said with a bit of disappointment.

The pokemon Eric just took out was none other than the exact same pokemon as the one Amy have caught only 3 minutes ago. Amy now realized that Eric has never revealed his 'fourth' pokemon, until now. Eric's Ralts was standing in right front of her Ralts, facing them.

"Ralts aren't that hard to find." Eric said. "In fact almost every region contains Ralts in a grass patch. It's just that finding one is a challenge because they hide very well. And also, there were many cases when a pokemon joins a trainer simply by bonding with it and without having to battle." Eric tucked his hands in his pocket. "But I agress. Good work with having it joining you."

"How did you catch yours?" Amy asked.

"It was a gift from the professor when I did him a favor." Eric answered.

Eric's Ralts stared at Amy's Ralts and walked close to it.

"Hi~." Male Ralts greeted the other one with a wave.

"He!" The female Ralts backed up and hid itself behind Amy's leg again.

Amy was amused. "*giggled*, it's okay Ralts, it just wants to be kind to you."

The male Ralts got closer to it and reached out its arms, wanting the female one to join him. It took a while, but the girl Ralts managed to let the boy Ralts grab it and take it to somewhere.

"Say, where is it taking her?" Amy wondered.

"I believe it simply wants to play." Eric said. "All kids loves to play with one another, same could be said for pokemon infants."

The two trainers watched their respective Ralts heading towards the open grassy field at the center of the plaza.

"We should go where we can keep an eye on them. We are technically their guardians after all." Eric pointed out.

"Oh, okay." Amy was thinking the same.

"I wish to join you," Ingrid said, "but I want to use this chance to talk to Heather about our ESP, if you know what I mean. Right Heather?"

Heather nodded.

"Okay, let's find a perfect place where there are no distraction." Ingrid grabbed Heather's hand and thetwo girls took off.

"I think I'm going to look into the net for a bit." Rebeccca said. "I'll stay here and wait for you guys to rejoin back on this area. You two have fun babysitting." Rebecca took out her laptop and logged on right away. Eric and Amy decided to listen and leave her.

* * *

><p>The two trainers managed to catch up to their two Ralts, who were playing round the grassy field. The girl Ralts tripped a lot, so the boy Ralts had to support it by helping it stand up and then they continued their fun and games. Eric and Amy sat on the bench by the fence on the edge of the park space. They sat where they could see their Ralts playing with each other. Amy watched and giggle as they played happily; while Eric simply watched them without making any expression. Amy slowly turned to face Eric, and realized that the two were alone. She only took a brief look at him to keep herself from blushing over his attractive face. Eric decided to use this moment to start a conversation.<p>

"Lovely view isn't it?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah." Amy flustered.

Eric took out his coin and began toying with it. "We are like two parents watching over a couple of kids playing in the park."

"It sure does." Amy agreed. She decided to use this chance to ask him something that was making her wonder for a long time. "Say, what happened to your eye anyway? The one you covered with the eye patch."

"An experience which I do not wish to expose, at least for now." Eric looked down. "Perhaps I'll share it with you some day." Eric proposed. "May I ask you something as well?"

"Hm?" Amy didn't expect the all-knowing Eric to suddenly ask her something.

"What inspired you to become a trainer?" Eric kept hold of his coin and faced Amy.

Amy took a while before answering, the answer was something she wanted to share for a long time but never had the courage to reveal it to. She then began to put faith in Eric, thinking that he could just be the one she might be able to trust. "I...I wanted to follow my father's footstep."

"Really." Eric said. "Was he a trainer?"

"Yeah, he was the greatest." Amy said as she looked up to the sky. She remembered the image of her father. He was a tall Norwegian gentleman with long dirty blonde hair and had beard all over his jaw. "Whenever I was sad or feeling distraught, my dad helped me feel better. He was always busy, but he always found time to spend time with me and my mom. He did everything he could to make me happy. I loved him so much." Amy watched her Ralts playing with Eric's Ralts, they were picking up flowers. "When I lost him though, things weren't quite the same. My mom and I had a hard time without his support, we always had to push a lot harder and we end up getting hurt too. Miraculously, my mom and I managed to live through it without him and struggled to forget about him and move on. Soon my mom adapted to his loss, but I still remember him; after all, it was because of him that I found a path I wanted to walk on." Tears started coming out of her eyes, just as soon as she realized that it really was thanks to him that she was still here, Amy didn't reveal it; but she had a life or death situation which concluded with the sacrifice of her father, the moment which she would never forget.

"I'm sorry." Eric said. "I guess I shouldn't have brought out this conversation."

"It's okay." Amy assured. "To be honest, I always wanted to mention it to someone for a very long time. I never thought that it would be you." Amy paused. "I guess I was only proving that I was too weak to express myself."

"You aren't weak Amy. No trainer is. Only those who follows a path without reason is weak. Trust the word from a wise one." Eric continued to play with his gold/silver coin. "May I ask what happened?"

Amy did not wanted to bring back the past, it always haunted her for many years after her father's death. But Amy found enough courage and simply decided to have faith and trust Eric. "It happened on an early falls, eight years back. My dad wanted to take me to the mountain near our house. Recently he took a break from work and decided to use that time to take me for a hike. Mom stayed a home to watch over the house, so it was just me and dad who went out. I was so happy and excited, because it was a moment whch I looked forward to for months." Amy wiped her tears with her arm and contnued. "Dad brought his pokemons and I carried food for the trip. We had so many conversations along the way, about pokemons; about battling; even about breeding."

"I bet he was a great father." Eric thought.

"He was." Amy replied. "That day, we roamed around the mountain for a whole day, talking and meeting other pokemons. Dad even told me stories, such as how he met my mom and how he became a trainer. Little by little I listened and soon, I became admired to become just like him." At that moment, her expression became sullen and became full of melancholy. Eric could sense the tragic part coming up. Amy paused for a long time and then continued. "When I told him what I decided to be, he was astonished. He began telling me tips and stuff. That conversation was the last discussion I've ever had with him."

* * *

><p><span>Mount Panara: 8 years ago<span>

A man was standing at the peak of the mountain hill with a little girl sitting on top of his shoulders. The two were talking and shared laughs under the night sky. After a while, the girl began talking.

"Daddy?" Said the little girl.

"Yes?" The man replied.

"When I become a trainer like you, will I be able to become really strong?"

The man paused for a while and then put down his daughter in front of him.

"Amy," he said. "becoming brave and strong, it isn't something that you should think about."

"What do you mean?" The girl asked.

"Trainers are strong because they are certain that they can. They have absolute faith in their capabilities; that's what makes them strong. If you ask whether you can be strong, that means you have no faith in yourself. If you are unsure of your faith, then who will?"

The man saw the depression in his daughter's face, he place his hands on her shoulders and spoke once more. "Amy. Only _you_ can control your own strength and only you can create th future you want. I knew I would marry your mother, and that's why I ended up with her, and I knew I would have a beautiful child and look how that ended up; you were born, do you get it?"

"Yeah!" The girl spoke happily.

"So are you certain that you'll become a trainer?"

"Yes!"

"Will you be great?"

"Yes!"

"Better than many?"

"I will be a lot stronger! I'll even surpass you dad!" The girl now full of determinations.

The man took out his hand and sticked his pinkie.

"You have sworned with your words." He said softly. "Promise me Amy, promise me that you won't forget what you just swore to me."

Little Amy took out her own pinkie and hooked it with her dad's. "I promise daddy. I promise."

The two gave each other a hug. The hug lasted almost a long time. The moment did not last long however when a flock of Murkrows suddenly flew off of the tree branches and towards the sky. The man releassed his daughter and took out his pokeball.

"Daddy? What's wrong?" The girl wondered.

"Amy," His tone was serious for some reason. "I want you to stay here. No matter what happens, you are not to move away from this spot. Understand?"

All the girl could do was nod, she was little frightened to speak at the moment.

"Good. Scyther come out!" He summoned a Scyther from his pokeball.

"Scy!" Cried the pokemon.

"Let's go!" The man said.

"Scy!" The two went into the woods, leaving behind the confused Amy.

Long time has passed and Amy was sitting alone at the hill top. Amy was beginning to worry about what was taking him so long? Amy considered going after him, but she knew she had to obey her dad's request lke a good little girl. Her loyalty to him was strong...until she heard something.

"Huh?!" Amy turned around and heard noises, like the sound of a battle going on.

"Daddy?" Amy's concern for her father was growing, and her chain of promise with him was beginning to break when the rock of concern became heavier. When the chain finally broked, Amy ran into the woods.

* * *

><p>Amy ran and ran, despite the deficit scrubs and the darkness she ran right towards the direction her father went into. Amy wasn't sure where she was but she didn't care, she wanted to see her father again. Amy thought she was blind until she saw something up ahead. It was becoming brighter as she got closer to it. Amy heard her father's voice up ahead.<p>

"Daddy!" Amy cried to him and then ran towards the brightened horizon up ahead. As soon as she got there, she saw him. As she thought, there was a battle going on. The brighteness was due to the fire spreading around the battlefield. Amy witnessed her father, giving commands to his Scyther that was battling a strange pokemon. The pokemon was covered in dark aura so Amy could not tell what it was. Whatever it was, it head flaming talons and long legs capable of breaking bones. Scyther was fighting desperately but it was unable to keep up with its opponents inhuman dexterity.

"Hang in there Scyther!" But the man knew his pokemon couldn't keep up. He noticed that it has reached its limits. The dark pokemon began taunting, telling Scyther to keep trying.

"You asked for it! Scyther, **Razor Wind**!"

The Scyther gathered enough energy to conjur up a powerful attack. It then unleashed its gusty air blade and blasted it right towards the dark pokemon. But the pokemon managed to block the attack with its flaming claws.

"What the-" Man said in disbelief.

The pokemon got into its fighting stance and was prepared to fight once more.

"Daddy!" Amy cried, forcing the man to turn to her direction.

"Amy! What are you doing here?! I thought I told you not to come!" The man shouted, unable to believe that the girl came to him. He now had additional thing to worry about.

The dark pokemon gazed its attention at Amy, it now had intention to eliminate another target. The man noticed the pokemon's intention, to his horror.

"Oh no."

The pokemon was about to unleash a strange attack, it gathered up a black-colored flames to its hands and prepared to launch it. The father realized this and was conflicted with choices, to stop the pokemon or save his daughter. The time was extremely short and then the pokemon unleashed its powerful attack, the man made the decision right away.

"Scyther! Get my daughter out of there!"

"Scy!" The scyther got out of the battlefield and went to grab Amy away from the pokemon's range of attack. It released its dark fire blast and ended up blasting towards Amy's father. Scyther managed to save Amy, but what became of her father?

"Daddy!" Amy cried. To her horror, her father became fatally wounded from the attack, he was lying on the ground; she was unsure wether he was alive or not but bloods were spilling. Amy crawled to her father slowly, to check upon him.

"...no...amy..."

"Daddy?" Amy was half relieved. Her father was alive but was in critical condition. Scyther kept her from approching him any closer.

"I'm sorry...Amy..." he spoke with weak voice. "...it was my fault...I should never have brought you here..."

"No daddy..." Amy was starting to cry.

"Daddy always thought...he was strong enough to protect you...he was sure that...I could protect you forever..." He was not starting to shed his own tears. "...but I was wrong...my will wsn't strong enouh to make it happen..."

"...no...dad..."

"...I have to pay the price for my foolishness...but you..." He was coughing up more blood. "You still have the chance to make things right..."

"Daddy no!...I can't be strong...not without you..." Her voice was starting to get messed up by her weakened vocal cord, effected from her crying endlessly.

"...no..." he said, "You can...you said you'll surpass me...right...?"

Amy remembered.

"You must follow the path you swore you'll make...I only wish that I could...be there to see you make it..."

"No daddy, NO!"

The dark pokemon was coming towards them, its flaming claws flaming hotter than before.

"...Scyther...please protect Amy at all cost...I place my ownership of you into her hands now..."

"Scy..." Scyther nodded once.

"Daddy no!" Amy was crying harder than ever.

"Good bye Amy...stay strong..."

"DADDY!"

"Get her out of here!" He ordered.

"Scy!" Scyther picked her up and prepared to escape.

"No!" Amy struggled but could not fight Scyther's strength. "NO! Let me go! LET ME GO! I won't leave him! Daddy! DADDY!"

"...stay strong...stay strong..."

The two of them go away as far as they could. Amy however, was forced to see the rear view and saw the pokemon grabbing her father by his head. The pokemon raised its flaming claws, and used it to slash his throat, killing him. It then scorched his body with its flames coming from its arms. Just as the man died, the Metal Coat which the Scyther was wearing around its neck glowed. As it ran while hilding onto Amy, its body glowed with glimmering light. From that instant, its exoskeletal body change from green to red. It as no longer Scyther, it has became a Scizor. Specifically, Amy's Scizor; its ownership has moved to her now. As they moved through the woods, she saw a giant blimp with a logo that looked like a box with a hidden letter P. It was the Pandora Zeplin. Back at where the man was killed, another figure approached the dark pokemon, it was the masked man believed to have controlled the pokemon within the shadows.

"Target eliminated. Burn the woods to mak sure there is no trace left behind indicating us."

The dark pokemon used its powers to blast its fire all over the woods.

* * *

><p>Back at Panara town, people were witnessing the nearby mountain getting burned by a massive fire. There kept their distances, except for one woman who was about to head in there until someon stopped her.<p>

"Whoa lady! Are you nuts?! There's a fire over that way!"

"Let me go! My husband and my daughter are on that mountain! I have to make sure-"

"And then what?! Will you be joining them to get burned with them?! There's little which you could do. Let the auhorities handle it."

"By the time they arrive, it might be too late! NOW LET ME GO OR-"

"Look!" Someone pointed towards something that was coming their way. It was a Scizor holding onto a little girl.

"AMY!" The woman went towards the two and crouched to see her daughter, who was covered with sweats and tears.

The woman looked at the Scizor, she recognized the Necklace it was wearing. "Are you...Kyle's..."

The scizor nodded, and it gave Amy back to her. The woman hugged her child right away.

"But what about Kyle..." she faced her daughter. "Amy where's your father? What happened to him?" The mother demanded, fear growing inside her.

"Daddy...he..." Amy cried, unable to complete her sentence. The mother glanced at the Scizor, who shook its head. She then understood.

"No..." She too was shedding tears. "NO! Oh my God...KYLE! NO!"

The woman cried as she hugged tightly to her daughter. Amy no longer made any expression, yet tears kept falling out of her eyes. Amy was emtionally distraugh, unable to handle the loss of someone she deeply cared about. The night scarred her, she was never the same ever since.

* * *

><p><span>Back at present time: Effra Park<span>

As Amy finished her story, Eric remained staring at her. It was all too much to take. Nothing made sense. It was always within pokemons to be docile, no matter what they never brought upon themselves to kill a human. But what Amy told him seems very much true, why else would she be crying?

"You," Eric started. "Have my sympathy."

"And so from that day on, I decided to stay strong, no matter what. But the problem is, my dad was also sure yet for once he was wrong." Amy was gripping tightly now. "Now, I'm not sure what to believe. Everything he's done was because he predicted it, but he couldn't follow his faith that time. How can I now know whether I can believe in myself anymore." Her tone was half-angry, she was confused. She always believed in her father because he told her to simply believe in herself, but whenhe tried ollowing his own advice, there was a contradiction. "What can I do?" Amy questioned.

"Do you still love him?" Eric asked.

"I..." Amy hesitated before answering. "Of course I do!"

"Then keep believing in him." He spoke softly. "If you hope to become the trainer you promised him that you would, then you would listen to your heart. What does your heart tell you?"

"To believe in him, but my mind-"

"Amy." Eric interfered. "Dreams aren't something you should rely on your brain, but rather your heart. Mind oftenly can keep you from making decisions by forcing you to think of the possibility of failure and later you might end up reconsidering. It is as your father said, faith depends on what you know, not on what you think. Stop thinking, and just believe."

"You are odd." Amy said. "Suggesting such advise from a guy who uses his brain all the time."

"Only because the path I chose requires the brain's support."

"Oh yeah, you wanted to become a teacher." Amy recalled.

Eric chuckled. "That's right."

"Hey," Amy pointed. "You laughed! I never thought I would see you be filled with laughter."

"Of course I laugh, did you thought I was some kind of a machine?"

"Well you always keep your emotions in check so."

Eric paused, feeling offended.

"Um," She said. "was it something I said?"

"No," Eric said. "I was thinking about the last time I was happy. I haven't smiled for a really long time. It was when my mother was still alive."

Amy was surprised to hear. "You, lost a family member too?"

"Yes." Eric said. "And I also lost someone that was just as close to me as my mother was." Eric paused. "I blamed myself, I should have been the one that died. But instead-" Eric unsleeved his right arm and revealed a massive scar across his forearm.

"What..." Amy was startled by the scar. "How did you..."

"It is the testamen revered after I exposed my guilt of my asinine conscience. I was foolish." Eric hid the scar under his sleeve again.

Amy stared at him. "I don't think so." Amy assured. "You are the smartest guy I've met."

Eric also looked at her. "And you are stubborn, fast-paced, hard-headed, reckless, and lacks consideration of possible risks simply by acting on guts rather than instincts which undoubtably proves your need to improve your sentinal mind linked with your genetic code operated inside your cuddly little grey matter."

Amy stared at him for a long time. Unsure whether she felt offended or dizzy.

"Yet you wield potential, promise, and blissful confidence. And I am glad you are with us."

"Do you mean that?"

"I am hardly the joking type."

"Ha ha! True."

The two of them looked at each other, knowing that they were having a great time. Amy stared at Eric for a long time as did Eric who was staring at Amy. Amy could not see it before, but she has looked at Eric very closely and realized how good-looking he was. His face was ruined because of the scar across his patched-up left eye and there were black bags underneath his other one. Because of those features, it was hard to notice his looks. Eric also saw that Amy was wielding an attractive face as well. The two stared at each other for a very long time, until they realized the awkwardness they were starting to feel between them. They both blushed from the realization and turned away quicky as they could.

"Um..uh..." Amy was too embarrassed to say anything. Whatever words she wanted to say didn't seem to make any sense.

"Well uh..." Eric was as confused as she was. "I uh...I guess the moment was tender as it is. No need to make it bizarre."

"I agree." Amy said it all too quickly.

The two looked at the front and remembered that their Ralts were still playing with each other. The boy Ralts was pinning small flowers on the girl Ralt's head, which please it very much.

"Aww, that's so sweet." Amy said after witnessing the bond between them.

"They met only today and they already grew intimate with each other." Eric thought. "Nature works mysteriously."

"Yeah." Amy agreed.

"GUYS!" a distinct voice was calling towards them. Eric andAmy turned to see that it was Rebecca who called them, and she was running right towards them in unusual haste. She finally reached them and she began breathing hard.

"Rebecca? What's the matter? You act like there is a fire going on somewhere." Eric said.

"No it's not a fire." Rebecca assured. "It's much much worst in fact."

"What can be worst than a fire?" Amy asked.

"Just...see for yourselves!" And then Rebecca ran off.

The two returned their Ralts back to their pokeballs and wnt after her.

As they reached her, the rest of the group was standing in front of a billboard of sorts.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked.

"That!" Rebecca pointed at the bill board.

Puzzled, Eric and Amy looked at what she was pointing at. And then they saw it, a shock on their faces.

"They posted a search warrant for us!" Rebecca was pointing at the poster, it had a large picture of the five of them with a sign that says 'Wanted', on the bottom it writes the specific reasons for their need for capture.

"Look what it says." Ingrid began reading. "'Charged for abducting, harassing a Pandora guard, and conspiring with the group of criminals', Those Pandoras twisted their words and blatantly gave us a bounty on our heads! Some of these weren't even what _we_ did!"

"They think you _abducted_ me?" Heather said. "Did I belong to a powerful family?"

"This isn't good." Eric said. "Our faces are made to public and there's no doubt that these posters are already posted all over the region. People will think we are felons and may definitely report on us as soon as they see us."

"They took our pictures when they surrounded us back at the battleground with the thugs?" Amy said.

"We need to get to the next town and find some way of concealing ourselves." Rebecca sid.

"But how?" Ingrid asked. "Once we take a step towards Effegerie Town, what makes you think they won't recognize us right away?"

"We'll use these." Rebecca took several surgical masks out of her supply kit.

"Why were you carrying those around?" Amy asked.

"In case of emergencies, what else?" Rebecca said. "Look, these may not be the best disguise by far, but its the only kind we've got. Once we get to the town, we'll be getting ourselves some better methods of disguises."

"Okay then, we've made up our minds." Eric said. "Now let's hurry before anybody notices us."

They put on their masks and made their way out of the Effra Park. How will they get out of their sudden crisis now? What will they be doing from now on? Will the future be holding the answers? Patience is a virtue.

* * *

><p><strong>I have posted this and the last two chapters at really late hour, so be grateful. It appears that the story have moved on to a bit of a drama here huh? Yeah, I've played games that contained a lot of tragedies such as Mother 3, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, Persona 3, Skyward Sword, Fire Emblem, and even Pokemon games. By the way, the 'Dark Pokemon' I've described is actually a Blaziken, in case you guys were wondering. <strong>

**Oh and I am going to post sketches of the characters of this fanfiction on LakeValor. If you guys want to see them, then read this chapter there. I admit that it isn't my best sketch, but I might be able to post more in the future. The next chapter might take longer so don't expect it to be posted anytime soon. Don't worry, I will post it once I can. Until then, so long fellas!**


	8. Chapter 8 Encounter

**Hello people, how have you been? Me? I decided to write again. So far the story is progressing smoothly. Might not be a best chapter but you'll be surprised by what you read at the end. Find out why.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 8: Encounter<span>**

* * *

><p>Effegerie town was like an old country. Houses were old-fashioned, the ground was paved with colorful stony mosaic, and there were people playing musical instruments where townsfolk gathered around to listen to the soothing musics. The group have entered, hoping that no one would recognize them under their surgical asks Rebecca provided them to conceal themselves. They walked until they reached a town district in front of a large Regigigas statue. By the statue, there was a map of the town, specifically for tourists. Rebecca looked at it to mark a certain location.<p>

"This town's small but there's so many shopping districts." Rebecca answered as she adjusted her glasses. "There's got to be at least five cloth stores around here."

"Five?!" Amy said in astonishment. "This place is women's paradise!"

"Which one should we go?" Ingrid asked, also looking at the map display.

"Well each stores have different varieties." Rebecca said. "There are punks, beauties, old country, and even ones for young teenagers. The young teenager one also got clothes for pokemons to wear. I'd love to try some on for my pokemons."

"I think I would look good on punk style clothing though." Amy said. "What about you Eric?"

Amy turned to Eric to ask for his preference on clothes. When she looked at him, she noticed that he seemed to be under a trance. His looks seem to be unusual, like as if he's seen a ghost.

In Eric's point of view, he caught his attention towards a certain figure. Once he did, he thought he really did a ghost. Right in front of his view, 9 feet away in the distance, a lone figure was staring back at him. The figure was standing among the crowds of tourists but Eric was deeply focused to this figure. The figure was male with dark hairs, light-skinned, wore black hooded sweatshirt, with black jean, black pair of sneakers, and had looked back at Eric with his bright-red eyes. The boy turned back and walked away, and Eric just stood there, frozen.

"-Eric!" Amy cried.

"-huh? What-" Eric came around.

"What's with you? I asked you a question and you don't respond." Amy's tone was distraught.

"Pardon me." Eric apologized.

"You don't seem yourself." Rebecca pointed. "Is something wrong?"

"My mind was elsewhere at the moment." Eric admitted. "Now, what did you asked me?"

"I asked which fashion store would you prefer?" Amy asked again.

"I don't really have preference when it comes to clothing. Not something we guys would really care about."

"Well you should." Amy said. "We aren't just shopping for fun you know, we are doing it for the sake of our mission. If we are to go against the Pandoras without them knowing, we'll need to change our outer appearances as well."

"Nice logical standpoint you've come up with." Eric said. "But don't you think it would look weird for a single male to go shopping for clothes with several females? Even if we concealed our faces, that picture of us in the wanted poster contained us exactly 4 girls and one guy, we would be easily be recognized at first glance no matter what."

"Hmm, he has a point." Ingrid said.

"I'm sure no one would really care." Amy assured. "We'll buy them as we wear them so we'll get out with our new appearances. Now I think we should go to the punk section. I like the designs there."

"I like them too." Ingrid said. "I'll choose a nice outfit for you too Heather."

"Okay." Heather responded.

"I never really tried punk styles." Rebecca said. "Sure, I'll try something new for once."

Eric was silent for a while and said, "You girls go ahead. I think I got to pass."

Amy stared at him. "What are you saying? You need to get something to change into too! I mean c'mon, out of all of us; your way of dressing is the most bizarre. Who wears only half-way of his jacket? You need to change definitely."

"Say's the girl wearing her vest while exposing her brassiere." Eric pointed at the black bra that was showing at Amy's chest under her top.

"Wha..." Amy attempted to hide her chest, with her face all red.

"Anyway, I would join you." Eric continued. "But there's something I need to do first. Rebecca, can you decide on my clothes for me?"

"Um, sure?" Rebecca answered.

"Thank you." Eric turned away. "Call me if you guys are done." And then Eric leaves the group.

"God, what's his problem?" Amy wondered.

"It's best not to question his intentions." Rebecca said. "Now, shall we get those clothes?"

"Heck yes!" Amy said in excitement.

The girls then head out shopping.

* * *

><p>Eric went to the edge of town and passed by many peoples walking by. He focused on the figure which he noticed before and followed it. The boy in the shadow was popping out of view, hoping that he would follow. Eric went towards an alleyway, where the said figure kept appearing. Eric followed it and soon ended up at the rear of a large building. He was alone, or was he? As Eric, faced the dead end, the figure was right behind him now. Eric did not turn to the boy, but his presence was very recognizable to him. He spoke to him, without facing him.<p>

"It's been a while, Dean."

* * *

><p>The girls made it to the Rock-star High store and saw that the store was a third story building. The store not only sold clothes, but they had all kinds of merchandises such as pokeballs, vitamins, and gears. The girls browsed through the shop t see what they might need. Amy went and saw several clothes for pokemons.<p>

"Aww, how cute~!" Amy looked at the small outfit. "It's like something a baby would wear. Maybe I should give it to my Togetic."

"Hold on Amy." Rebecca suddenly said. "Look at the price on that thing."

Amy saw the price tag of the pokemon outfit and saw that it costed over 3000 pokecash. "Holy moly! That's quite a price!"

"Yeah." Rebecca said. "We may have enough money to purchase this, but realize that we don't have enough to go window shopping. Our current balance in our account is 200,000 pokecash, sum it up and with that amount we have to focus on getting merchandise that we _need_. So focus on what we came here to buy, change of clothes. Oh and purchase some potions when we can, because our next journey to town will be quite long."

"Your dad didn't gave us much, did he?" Amy asked.

"Actually, we are using currencies which we've added with our own expenses." Rebecca answered. "Me, Eric, and Ingrid decided to combine our savings for our missions. My dad is quite sensitive about spending cash, so he taught me to use my own."

"How can we get more pokecash?" Amy wondered.

"Usually by battling." Ingrid answered. "Trainers battle other trainers, when one of them wins; the winner is rewarded with some cash which is then automatically transferred to our bank account connected to our trainer's ID card. This is one of the reason why we need ID cards before journeying as a trainer."

"What about when we lose?" Amy asked.

"Obviously, we lose cash." Rebecca said. "Basically, battling becomes a gamble when it comes to collecting cash. All strong trainers are really rich because they win all the time."

"Are you guys saying," Amy started. "That out of all the battles you've won when you guys went out before, you were only able to gather up to 200,000 pokecash?"

"I didn't go out much." Rebecca admitted. "I spend my time inside building gadgets. Dad helps me with getting the materials to build them. Also the amount of cash you obtain depends on how many cash your opponent is carrying. You get 10% of amount of what he or she was carrying. I never battled strong trainers so."

"And it's been a while since I've battled either." Ingrid said. "And I spend my money on my own interests, which is why we don't got enough."

"What about Eric? Surely he should got enough." Amy thought.

"True." Rebecca said. "He has won so many battles in the past, which means he's got a lot of pokecash. The only reason we don't got enough with him though, is because the money he wins get transferred to his separate account."

"He's got two accounts?" Amy was surprised. "How come?"

"Security measures." Rebecca said. "He knows that even if we combined our expenses, we might end up draining them with supplies for our journey, so he saves them up separately in secret. By now, his second account should add up to over 5,000,000 pokecash."

"Five million?" Amy's jaw dropped.

"If that's true." Ingrid said. "Then our shopping would have been easier if he came along with us."

"Geez, out of all the time, he chose not to come along." Rebecca paused. "Or was this the reason he didn't come along?"

"Well whatever." Amy said. "Let's get what we need, and get him to pay us back."

"I agree." Ingrid said.

"Yeah but." Rebecca spoke. "We still have to watch out for how much we end up spending. If our credits reaches below zero, there will be consequences in the future. Let's get with the shopping, starting with cheap clothes."

"Fine with me." Amy said. The girls then began shopping.

* * *

><p>The alleyway was the only part of the town that didn't had any settlement, just several garbage and worn out posters on the building walls. Now, it had two teenagers talking in secret. Eric did not faced the other boy, but his expression was gloom. He swallowed in one gulp before before he started talking.<p>

"Of all the times, you showed yourself to me now." Eric said. "I would say that it's good to see you, but honestly that would be a lie."

"For a while, I thought you were dead." Dean spoke. "But I discovered that you were still around after recent events. You did well concealing yourself from the Pandoras by changing your looks and dying your hair and wearing that eye patch. No one would recognize you. But even with such new features, you still haven't broke your habit of playing with that coin of yours, which is how I recognized you."

"You've been watching me?" Eric was sounding impressed.

"Occasionally." Dean responded. "Don't get any wrong ideas, I only did for her sake. She would have wanted you alive and well." Dean had a sad expression on his face.

"Are you still resenting me for what happened in the past?" Eric said. "I already felt bad enough about what happened to Madeline. How long do you intend to blame me for it?"

"You tell me Eric. You tell me." Dean repeated.

"You aren't here to just goad about the cause of our dispute, are you?" Eric asked.

"As a matter of fact, I searched for you to inform you of the Pandoras." Dean answered. "They have fortified number of elite guards around the major cities."

"I am already aware of that." Eric said.

"Are you also aware that they dispensed the Agents?" After Dean mentioned the name, Eric swallowed hard. "Van Damien has already set his plan in motion, he has given each Agents the 'rogue' pokemons. Do not believe that you'll be able to sleep well starting now. Luckily, Van Damien isn't aware of you yet. He still believes that you are dead."

"How far has their project have gone up?" Eric wondered.

"Lot more than you can imagine." Dean answered.

Eric gave out a long sigh, realizing that his fight with the Pandoras won't be an easy one.

"Do you still plan to fight them?" Dean asked. "I don't know what you intend to do to start a war with them, but I suggest you think hard about all this. I may loathe you, but it will pain me a lot more if you ended up getting killed by your suicidal endeavor and wasting the very life Madeline sacrificed for you. If you die, she would have died for nothing, and I can't live with that."

"I understand." Eric responded. "If it pains you then I suggest that you stay out of this. I am not foolish enough to do this alone."

"Yes, I noticed that you've got selection of teammates to fight with you. But compared to the numbers of Pandoras and your team's inexperience, I'm not really getting my hopes up."

"We will defeat them." Eric began. "Just not right away. I intend to start things slowly, and make sure to get them ready."

The two of them were silent for so long, until Eric broke the silence. "Come with us. Help me take the Pandoras down."

"You are naive Eric." Said Dean. "If you think I intend to fight a war with no hopes of winning, then think again. You may got what it takes to battle them, but your team doesn't. You don't even trust them by not telling them what this conflict with the Pandoras is really about. So tell me, when do you intend to tell them everything?"

Eric stayed quiet for a while before answering. "It depends on the situation."

"Well, as long as you'll stay alive, I don't really give a shit." Dean turned away from Eric. "The girl with the hat." Dean began. "Did she remind you of Madeline?"

"Don't kid with me." Eric said. "No one can replace her."

"I beg to differ." Dean countered. "You and her started to get a lot closer, an image that looked a bit familiar. I hope you don't think about repeating your mistake and have her get killed too."

Eric turned to face Dean. "Don't even mention what might happen! I don't intend to let anybody die for me again!"

Dean did not say a word.

"If worst is to come, I will be the one facing the Pandoras head on. I will not rest peacefully until their tyranny ends for good." Eric's tone was promising.

"You will not win." Dean said. "There's no way you can counter the Pandoras and their rogue pokemons. They are very powerful. I've seen them. They will keep getting back up until you won't be able to keep up against them. Do you still intend to fight them, knowing all that?"

"Yes." Eric said. "And don't worry, there_ is_ a method defeat them, I found it the day they tried to get me killed. I have yet to try it, but I am really confident that it will work."

Dean paused for a while. His attempt to stop Eric was now futile. "I was hoping to light some sense into you. I see that I have failed." Dean started to walk away. "It was nice seeing you. But the next time we meet, we'll be enemies. you have been warned. Good bye." Dean walked into the shade of a building and then vanished into thin air. Eric began thinking about their conversation. After a while, he too started walking away into the open area of Effegerie town to meet with the girls.

* * *

><p>After calling them to meet back, Eric began waiting back at the Regigigas statue. He leaned on the granite pavement and waited. Ten minutes after he arrived to the meet up area, he turned to see that the girls were approaching while carrying some shopping bags. The girls saw Eric and waved at him, and then they all rejoined.<p>

"I see that you guys got something. I expected you to purchase a lot more." Eric looked at the merchandise they bought.

"We lacked a bit of cash, so we couldn't get much." Rebecca said.

"I see you changed your dress Ingrid. I bet the Pandoras won't recognize you." Eric looked at Ingrid, who was now wearing dark dress with medium length skirt and wore stockings with pair of black leather boots.

"You have no idea how much this costed." Ingrid said to Eric. "I'd say you owe us a bit because we might have been able to buy more if you came with us."

Eric stared at Heather now, she changed her torn-up dress with better one. "I see that you changed your dress as well Heather. Your other one did looked like it was falling apart."

"The lady who sold it to me gave me a discount for it." Heather said. "No one bought dress like this apparently."

Eric then looked at Amy, she had no change of clothes but was carrying bags carrying all kinds of style for her to wear.

"And how did your shopping day go Amy?" Eric asked at last.

"Horrible." Amy admitted. "None of their clothes ever fit on me. At least I managed for my bottom wear but I had trouble trying on the tops."

"I'm not surprised." Eric said. "Considering how big your breast is."

Amy's cheek turned red and covered her chest with her arms. "Geez, will you quit talking about my breast you perv!"

"It seems we had no luck with buying perfect disguises for us huh?" Eric thought.

"I couldn't be helped I suppose." Rebecca said. "We are just going to have to travel with our face wide in the open for the Pandoras to see. Our mission isn't gonna be easy."

"It was never going to be easy to begin with." Said Eric. "Anyway, it's late and we need a place to stay."

"Good thing I saw a nice inn on our way to the store." Ingrid said. "I think we can manage there."

"I'll pay for the rooms then." Eric said. "I bet you girls used up the pokecash we were saving to buy all those."

"Let's get going then." Amy said. "I need to shower from all the clothes I tried on."

* * *

><p>Sun has set and the sky grew dark. The group found the inn they could rest in. Luckily, no one seemed to recognize them from the search warrant posters that was posted all over town. Eric rented the room and they all began to reorganize. Amy went to take a shower right away, Rebecca started to use her laptop, Ingrid and Heather looked through the clothes they bought, and Eric went to the balcony to look outside.<p>

"Where do we go next when we pass Effegerie town?" Ingrid asked.

"To a small town called Wakabac." Rebecca answered. "But the path from here to there will take a whole day to get through. There's going to be a junction when we get to the intersecting path. We'll have to decided about them when we get there. I am too tired to think about all that now." Rebecca put away her laptop and started to lean her head to the recliner she was sitting on.

Amy got out of the shower room, wearing a bath robe and a towel over her head. "Ahh, that was refreshing." She reached for her clothes on one of the bed and realized something. "Say, there's only two beds here. How will we split them?"

"I can share one bed with Heather." Ingrid said. "Will that be alright Heather?"

"Sure, I don't mind." Heather responded.

"I don't mind sleeping on the couch." Rebecca said. "After all, being the oldest one here I think I should feel obligated to let my juniors sleep comfortably."

"But does that would mean," Amy started. "that I might have to share a bed with Eric?"

"Do you have a problem with that?" Eric spoke after entering the room after sightseeing from the balcony.

"Well no but-" Amy began to feel embarrassed for some reason.

"That's quite alright. You can sleep alone on there." Eric said.

"Will you be alright with that?" Rebecca asked.

"I don't really feel like sleeping anyway." Eric faced the window once more. "Besides, someone has to stay awake to watch out for any signs of Pandora attacking in our sleep."

"Oh come on Eric." Rebecca said. "I know the Pandoras may be heartless, but I don't think they will go far as to assaulting us in our sleep."

"Perhaps you are right." Eric sighed. "But after our recent encounter with them, I have my doubt about that." Eric opened the balcony door again. "Feel free to call me if you need me." And then he left outside.

"I'm gonna try and give my dad a call." Rebecca took out her Xtransciever. "I have to let him know that we are doing fine so far."

"I am going to try and whip up on our dinner then." Amy grabbed her clothes to dress up.

The group had a pleasant evening for the rest of the day.

* * *

><p>When Rebecca gave her dad a call to report the updates on their journey status, professor Mapelar gave them his council on the situations that occurred among the Pandoras and that they must grow a lot more stronger if they were to have any chance against the rogue organization. He told them about what to expect from professor Blanche when they meet with her, though he didn't give them specific details; he mentioned that she wielded a technology that can counter the Pandoras and that they must obtain it at all cost. He also took a look on their pokedex to see what they saw and what they've caught; he also advised to take rough route to encounter even more pokemons and take less easy route to avoid the Pandora grunts at all costs. After telling them that he'll send them more supplies for their equipment, he signed off. Hours have passed during their talk with the professor and they all grew tired. After eating Amy's berry pie and watching some TV broadcast, they all went to bed. Ingrid cuddled with Heather on one bed, while Amy and Rebecca both slept on the other. The room became silent.<p>

* * *

><p>The whole town was also quiet, all except for the singing Kricketots singing with their whispering cries from the distance. Under the waning gibbous moon, two individuals were sneaking around town. The darkness made it hard to tell of their appearances, but they looked like they were up to no good. They hid behind street light poles and then switched to some hedges by a flower bed. They popped out of their hidings from the bushes and looked at a certain building.<p>

"Is that the place?" A male voice spoke to the other one.

"According to our source, yes." Said the other one with a voice of a female.

"Looks like the brats all gathered at a single inn. Our jobs seem to be getting easier." The male took out his pokeball. "What do we do with them?"

"Our chief wanted us to terminate them for humiliating him back at the cave." said the female. "We should do as he says, after all; he did gave us the fossils. I should say that we should make use of the fossil pokemons by eradicating them."

"It feels strange." Said the male. "All this, just to take out some little kids."

"These kids," the female started. "happens to be a small nuisance to the Pandoras lately. They may not be much now, but sooner or later; they will become a big problem when we just let them loose. I'm not taking any chances. If you want to run and disobey orders then that's fine, run along."

"No, I'll join you." said the male grunt. "I'd rather start hurting kids than face Van Damien and tell him that he backed off just because we couldn't handle the job. That man will squeeze juice out of my brain and drink them out of my skull."

"Then let's do this." The two grunts sneaked into the inn porch.

They approached the west wing of the building, where they believed that their targets were sleeping in. The female grunt took out a canister of sort from her bag and prepared to launch it.

"They will suffer an agonizing pain from inhaling the gas from this thing." The female grunt said. "We'll simply throw this, release the gas and they will suffer without us needing to take them out personally."

"Then throw the damn thing already, I feel a lot batter that we didn't have to do this while looking at them right in their eyes." The male grunt suggested.

The female grunt tossed the gas canister and threw it right at the window on the top floor of the building. Just as the object was about to hit the glass, the window suddenly opened and an arm came out of it. It grabbed the canister and threw it farther away into the sky and it exploded, releasing the gas and then they evaporated into nothing. The two grunts just stood there, unable to believe what they just witnessed.

"What the-" The male grunt took a look at the one who nullified their plan of termination. The individual was inside the building, his presence concealed within the shadows.

"Attempting to assassinate some kids with use of neural-toxins." The figure said. "You grown-ups can be quite cruel." The figure then jumped off the balcony and face the two of them. The figure was none other than Eric, who seemed to have been expecting them somehow. "Did you really intend to take us out like this? I expected you Pandoras to be better than that."

"How the hell did you figure that we were coming for you kids?" The male grunt asked.

"How could I not?" Eric asked. "Terminating within the shadows is your specialty after all, so this was to be expected."

"But no one knew of our implications with late-night attacks!" The female grunt said.

"You may have fooled other civilians, but you can't fool me." Eric said and then took out his pokeball. "After all, this isn't the first time you guys have done this when I was around."

"What are you talking about-"

"Are we going to be talking all night, or are you going to try and finish what you started?" Eric cut her off. "You wouldn't want to disappoint your boss now, would you? I know how Van Damien treats those who fails him." Eric threw his pokeball and summoned his Ralts out of it.

"Ra!" said the Ralts.

"He's challenging us! What guts!" Said the male grunt.

"He's just a brat, so what are we afraid of?" Said the female. "Let's take him out and deal with the others." The female grunt took out her pokeball. "Ready Nathan?"

"Hell yeah Shelly!" Nathan took out his own pokeball. "If it's battle he wants, then the battle he will get!"

The two of them threw their pokeballs and spawned their pokemons out of them, which were now standing on the battling ground.

"Shelma!" Cried the Shelmet.

"Karra!" Cried the Karrablast.

"This is two against one battle kid." Said Shelly. "You are out of your league."

"No he isn't." Cried another voice.

Eric looked at where the voice was coming from and saw that it came from the balcony he fell from. Another individual jumped off the balcony and stood next to Eric. Eric did not expect that Amy was also awake and would e fighting along side him tonight.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Eric asked her.

"I should be asking _you_ that!" Amy said. "Do you seriously intend to fight them on your own? There's no way I'm letting you do this on your own bud. I'm going to battle with you whether you like it or not!"

Eric eyed her and noticed her determination, there was simply no way to convince her to stay out of this. "Very well then. Don't disappoint me."

"Like hell I would!" Amy took out her own pokeball and threw to summon her own Ralts.

"Ra!" Cried the Ralts, and it stood right next to Eric's Ralts; facing their opponents.

"What a cute looking brat." Nathan said. "To think that we were going to terminate such a beauty. But all the same, we'll take them both out."

"You ready?" Eric asked Amy.

"Of course!" Amy answered.

"Very well." Eric started.

"Shelmet! Use **Leech Life**!" Nathan commanded.

"Shell!" The Shelmet leaped towards Eric's Ralts and attempted to leech some health out of it.

"Use **Confusion**!" Eric yelled.

"Ralt!" Eric's Ralts positioned its head and emitted a psychic force from its mind. The wave blasted off the Shelmet when it got too close to the force and it got knocked out.

"Shell..." Shelmet flipped to its helpless position.

"Ugh, the kid's tough, I'll give him that." Nathan admitted.

"You are a pussy!" Shelly insulted her partner and then focused on her pokemon. "Karrablast! Use **Bug Bite** on the other one!"

"Karra!" The Karrablast leaped towards Amy's Ralts with its teeth out, attempting to bite it.

"Ralts! Use **Magical Leaf**!" Cried Amy.

"Ralt!" Amy's Ralts summoned a glowing leaf-shaped energy from thin air and then shot them right at the Karrablast and it too got knocked back.

"They are good." Nathan said. "Shelmet, try to use **Struggle Bug** on them!"

"Shell!" Shelmet got back on its usual stance and began blasting a spray of acid-like liquid from its mouth.

"**Double Team**!" Eric commanded.

"Ra!" His Ralts then created illusions of itself and mislead the bug spray attack to miss.

"Crap! Use **Acid Armor** to hide yourself from its next attack!" Nathan ordered his Shelmet and then it began covering itself with gunk of ooze it blasted from its mouth aimed upward.

"That's not going to help you." Eric said. "Ralts! Use **Confusion** again on it!"

"Ralts!" Eric's Ralts summoned a blast wave of psychic energy and the blast landed right at the Shelmet hiding under the ooze it made. The energy blast pierced right through the ooze and inflicted major pain on the Shelmet.

"Shell..." The ooze evaporated and exposed the fainted Shelmet.

"No! Shelmet!" Nathan cried to his pokemon.

"Pathetic!" Shelly said. "Karrablast! Use **Fury Attack**!"

"Karra!" The Karrablast charged right at Amy's Ralts with its horn aimed right at her. It continuously jabbed its horn on the Ralts, which took damages from the attack.

"Ralts! Knock it off with your **Confusion**!" Amy commanded before it could take more damage.

"Ra!" The female Ralts repeated the similar move the male Ralts used against the Shelmet and blasted the same energy wave on the beetle pokemon. The attack was devastating and the Karrablast got knocked over, it was also unable to battle.

"Shit!" Said Shelly. "Are these kids really that tough?!"

"Don't worry!" Assured Nathan. "We aren't done here." He took out another pokeball and prepared to battle again. "Go! Tyrunt!"

"Rawr!" Cried the Tyrunt as it got summoned out of its pokeball.

"Of course! We still had those!" Shelly also took out her second pokeball and threw it. "Go forth Amaura!"

"Amau!" Cried the other fossil pokemon, and it too entered the battle field.

"What are those?" Amy was unfamiliar with the pokemons the grunts took out.

"They are one of the fossil pokemons believed to be extincted." Eric answered. "Careful, they look tough."

"Tyrunt! Attack them with **Dragon Tail**!" Nathan commanded.

"Rawl!" The Tyrunt began to use its tail attack to Eric's Ralts.

"Look out!" Amy cried towards Eric's pokemon, but to her disbelief when the attack landed; it it nothing on his Ralts whatsoever.

"What the-" Nathan was wondering what just happened.

"Don't they teach you anything back at Pandora training camp?" Eric asked. "Dragon-type attacks, doesn't work on Fairy-type pokemons!"

"Shit, I forgot!" Nathan realized.

"You moron!" Shelly insulted Nathan.

"Use **Confusion** once more!" Eric commanded his Ralts.

"Ra!" His Ralts blasted the psychic energy from its mind again and the blast dealt damage towards the Tyrunt.

"Rawl!" The Tyrunt got held back a bit.

"Tyrunt!" Nathan called his pokemon.

"Ugh! You're useless!" Shelly took over the battle for Nathan. "Amaura! Blast them both with your **Icy Wind**!"

"Amau!" Amaura summoned a blast of cold winds from its mouth, the wind began to take effect towards the two Ralts.

"Ral..." Both Ralts could not take the cold, but they managed to take the hit.

"**Icy Wind** will no doubt cripple them by slowing them down." Eric said. "Amy, Amaura may be an Ice-type pokemon, but it's also a Rock-type. Grass type attack like **Magical Leaf** will be useful against it."

"Thanks for the tip!" Amy decided to use his advice. "Ralts! Fire your **Magical Leaf** attack at the Amaura!"

"Ralts!" Amy's Ralts shot its glowing leaf energies again and they all managed to land on the Amaura.

"Amau!" Cried the Amaura after it got hit.

"Don't just stand there!" Shelly yelled at Nathan. "Help me!"

"Tyrunt! **Bite** attack on that Ralts!" Nathan cried.

"Rawl!" Tyrunt went and bit Amy's Ralts, inflicting pain on it.

"Ralts!" Amy cried to her pokemon.

"Hold it still!" Said Shelly. "Amaura! Use **Ancient Power** on the Ralts the Tyrunt is holding onto!"

"Amau!" The Amaura used its mind to summon several rocks from the ground and began to blast them towards Amy's Ralts.

"Ra!" Amy's Ralts was helplessly struggling.

But just as the rocks were about to land, Eric's Ralts got in the way.

"Use **Protect**!" Eric cammanded.

"Ralt!" Eric's Ralts summoned a magical barrier with its mind and managed to block the rocks from hitting its battle partner.

"Get it to escape from Tyrunt's jaw!" Eric suggested Amy.

"Ralts! Use **Confusion**!" Amy cried.

"Ra..." The Ralts began releasing a psychic energy which landed on Tyrunt.

"Rawl!" The Tyrunt got hit by the energy and released the Ralts from its jaws.

"Now Ralts!" Eric said to his pokemon.

"Ralts!" Amy did the same.

"Use **Confusion**!" They both said it at once.

"Ra!" The two Ralts combined their energies and blasted a psychic blasts with their minds, the blast-wave landed on the Tyrunt and the pokemon got hit hard from them.

"Rawrl!" The Tyrunt could not take the hits and it fell to the ground.

"Tyrunt! No!" Nathan yelled.

"Yes! We defeated one!" Amy was leaping with joy.

"Look!" Eric said when he sees that their pokemons were starting to glow.

"Oh my god, could it be?" Amy was also mesmerized.

The two Ralts faced each other as they were covered in bright lights, as their silhouettes became white, they were beginning to change shape. Both of them stood taller and looked like two little ballerina girls. As the lights faded, the transformation was complete, and the two Ralts were no longer Ralts, they both have become Kirlias.

"Ara~" Both pokemons said with joy.

"My, have we improved them beyond recognition." Eric was surprised.

"We did it, didn't we?" Amy said.

"Grr, this is getting bad." Shelly said. "But like it matters! We can't turn back now! Amaura, finish this battle! Use **Thunderwave**!"

"Amau!" The Amaura send out an electrical wave from its head and then fired it towards the Kirlias.

"Amy, do the honor." Eric said.

"With Pleasure" Amy faced the battle ground. "Kirlia! Use **Safeguard**!"

"Ahh~!" Amy's Kirlia send out a reddish barrier which neutralized the electric thunder wave that was shot at them.

"Crap..." Shelly said.

"Fire away your **Confusion**!" Eric said to his Kirlia.

"Ara!" His Kirlia performed a twirl and aimed its leg at the Amaura, and then it blasted a wave of energy blast at it.

"Use **Ancient Power**!" Shelly demanded.

"Amau!" Amaura blasted the magical stones at the blast wave, hoping to have blocked the move. As the rocks broke though, Amy's Kirlia began running right at it.

"What the-" Shelly cried.

"Kirlia! Use **Draining Kiss**!" Amy ordered.

"Hmm~!" Her Kirlia gave the Amaura a kiss, which it then began sucking some health from it. Kirlia replenished some health it lost from the Tyrunt's earlier attack. Amaura suddenly felt weak.

"Now finish it off with **Magical Leaf**!" Amy cried.

"Aha!" Her Kirlia began dancing in a twirl, and then it send out energies of glowing leaves, which shot right at the Amaura with big damage.

"Ama!" Amaura couldn't take the hit, and it too fainted from the attack.

"No!" Shelly stomped in rage.

"Yes! We won! Great work Kirlia!" Amy approached her Kirlia and gave it a high five.

"Kirl!" Her Kirlia returned the high five happily.

"You did good too." Eric spoke to his Kirlia as well.

"Kirl." The boy Kirlia simply nodded.

"This isn't good." Shelly said. "We can't just return like this." Shelly had a thought and then remembered something. "Of course! We still have that! Nathan! You have that pokemon right?"

"The rogue one?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, that!" Shelly replied.

"I do but-" Nathan hesitated. "but Van Damien said not to use it unless it's urgent, like in life or death emergencies."

"What do you think this is?!" Shelly demanded. "If we return with our objective ended in failure, boss will have our heads one way or the other! Our situation can't be worst enough than to be called 'life-threatening'. Just use it so that we can end this mission successfully."

"Alright alright!" Nathan took out his third pokeball and prepared to throw it.

"Come out now!" Nathan summoned his third pokemon which turns out to be a Gible.

"Gibe!" Cried the Gible, something was wrong with this pokemon however.

"Oh please." Amy said. "Another pokemon? I bet we can beat this one too, right Eric?" Amy looked at Eric, who was just staring at the pokemon. His expression looked unsettling. "Eric? What's wrong?"

"This pokemon..." Eric began. "...it can't be..."

"What's with you now?" Amy asked. "It's just another weak pokemon, we can-"

"Amy." Eric interrupted. "I want you to keep yourself out of this battle. Do not involve yourself in this battle, do you understand?"

"What are you saying?" Amy asked. "We are just getting warmed up, we can totally take out this-"

"I'm sorry about this." Eric said. "Kirlia, use **Hypnosis** on Amy and her pokemon."

"Bye~." Eric's Kirlia send out a hypnotic wave towards Amy and her Kirlia.

"Eric what are you..." Amy began to reply but as the wave hit her, she and her Kirlia both went fast asleep.

"I'm sorry." Eric apologized again to the sleeping Amy. "But this battle would be easier if you weren't involved with this fight."

Eric faced the rogue pokemon with a serious expression. He then took off his eye-patch, revealing his red colored left eye. The eye glowed with purple aura and began scanning the rogue pokemon.

"Gib!" From Eric's point of view with his red eye, the Gible was shrouded with purple miasma, unlike any other pokemons they encountered in the past. This pokemon was definitely different.

"Was it wise to put your friend to sleep, boy?" Asked Nathan. "Fighting this pokemon alone might not be wise."

"True." Eric said. "But I feel better knowing that she won't take part of this battle as long as your rogue pokemon is in the field."

"So you know about the Pandoras' plan. What else do you know?" Nathan wondered.

"Lot more than you think." Eric said. "I am going to defeat that thing without anyone else helping me."

"Kirla!" Eric's Kirlia stood at his front, preparing to fight for him.

"Let's go." Eric's left eye suddenly glowed, the battle was on.

"Gible! **Dual Chop**!" Nathan commanded.

"Rawrl!" The Gible took out its small claws and began swinging them like crazy.

"Kirlia! **Double Team**!" Eric also ordered his pokemon.

"Kirl!" Kirlia began duplicating itself with holographic copies of itself. The Gible's attack landed but it only attacked the illusion from the tricky gimmicks the Kirlia performed.

"**Bite** one of them until you hit the real one!" Nathan commanded.

"Gible!" The Gible kept trying to hit the right Kirlia by biting on copy after the other. The pokemon was moving very swiftly. After wiping out all the copies, the Gible focused on the real one.

"Perfect! Attack that one with **Dual Chop**!" After that command, the Gible charged right at Kirlia with its powerful attack.

"Use **Protect**!" Eric quickly ordered and his Kirlia summoned a greenish barrier that managed to block the Gible's attack. The Gible leaped back, aware of its failure to hit its target.

"Pesky kid! I guess I have no choice but to-" Nathan pointed. "Gible! Attack with **Shadow Blitz**!"

"Grr!" The darkness emerging out of the Gible grew larger and the Gible became shrouded by it. The pokemon then charged right towards Kirlia, with its mighty speed.

"Crap, use **Protect**-" Eric began to give orders, but it was too late.

"Kirla!" The attack was too quick for Kirlia to even try to block it. The attack landed and Kirlia got knocked back hard. The Kirlia managed to stand up right, but the damage was to harsh for it to handle. It then looked at its opponent, it was clouded by dark miasma which grew after performing its unusual move.

"Not so tough now are you kid?" Nathan began taunting. "This pokemon is one of the products of the experimentation the Pandoras started. As a result, they have become ultra strong, and the shadow moves they are using is quite handy since they deal twice the damage as any normal attacks. Pokemons were born to keep themselves from harming humans, but these pokemons were created to break such laws. After I am done with you, I will have it to take care of the others."

Eric stared at Nathan after eyeing the Gible. "You don't know the consequences of such experimentation."

"Are you kidding me?!" Nathan bellowed. "Our leader guaranteed to create pokemons without any flaws, without any weaknesses, or any thoughts to hesitate from accomplishing their duties. We are trying to make them better for the sake of the future of trainers and their pokemons, and you kids are trying to keep us away from accomplishing those dreams; that's why we must take you all out!"

"Removing certain individuals to reach your goal?" Eric thought. "Is such goal worth having if it means to destroy lives of others?!"

"For greater good," Nathan said. "Sacrifices must be made. You brats won't even understand so I won't even try to reason with you. Only thing worth doing to you is to destroy."

"What?" Shelly could not believe what she just heard. Few hours ago, Nathan was hesitant to try to dispose of the kids earlier. Now, his feelings had somehow changed. Did using the rogue pokemon somehow changed him? "Oi Nathan, it's true that we came to dispose them, but isn't it too much to try and kill them in cold blood?"

"What makes you think that killing them silently will stop this kiddy rebellion?" Nathan said. "We must not just take them out, we must also sent out a message. By killing them personally, we can warn the others what we will do to those who plans to rebel against us. We must show them power!"

"But Pandoras are not suppose to show fears! Have you forgotten?" Shelly cried.

"I am doing this for the sake of the Pandoras as well. I will expose our powers with the use of this pokemon! No one would want to follow an organization that is too frightened to demonstrate god-like powers which we wield! "

'This guy.' Eric's fear began growing. 'His will wasn't strong enough to handle the dark might of this pokemon. Its darkness is starting to get to him, influencing his heart and corrupting his soul. I have to do something.'

"If you are afraid then back off Shelly." Nathan said. "I'll deal with this kid myself! Now, Gible! Destroy this kid and his pokemon! Use **Shadow Blitz** once more!"

Something happened after Nathan gave his command. The darkness within Gible was growing even larger and the miasma's color became redder. The pokemon was emitting devastating intention for distruction. It slowly moved towards Eric and his Kirlia.

"What are you waiting for?!" Nathan bellowed. "Destroy them!"

The rogue pokemon began slowly turning around to look at its trainer. Its eyes glowed red and it was now focusing on Nathan for some reason.

"Wha...What are you doing?! I said to destroy them! Why are you coming for me?!"

"GRRARRR!" The Gible charged right towards Nathan and began tackling him.

"Augh!" The pokemon continuously scratched its trainer with all its might, unable to control its strength.

"Shit." Shelly watched as the pokemon went berserk on her partner. She was simply staring, unable to fathom the situation. She had no idea what to do, and she was also afraid to do anything about it.

"Kirlia! Use **Confusion**!" Eric decided to make his move against it, and he had his pokemon attack the rogue pokemon before it could end up killing its own trainer.

"Kirla!" The Kirlia leaped and kicked the Gible, the blast wave it summoned from the kick allowed it to knock it off the grunt with eminent force. The Gible that got knocked back, stood back up to fight again.

"Grar!" The Gible tried to attack again.

"Use **Hypnosis**!" Eric ordered.

"Bye~" The Kirlia summoned its hypnotic wave towards the rogue pokemon. The wave somehow managed to put it to sleep.

"Here's my chance." Eric thought to himself. Eric's red left eye glowed once more, but this time it created markings on him. The Markings emerged from his left eye and they began spreading right across his left arm. On his palm, he was carrying a single pokeball; and as the markings reached his hand it also ended up on the pokeball. The pokeball's design changed when the glowing marks surrounded it and from that instance, Eric readied himself to toss it. He threw the glowing pokeball and out came a giant claw-shaped lights came out and grabbed the sleeping rogue pokemon. The pokemon went in the glowing pokeball as if it got captures like a normal wild pokemon. The ball shook once, twice, thrice, and then it clicked.

"Success." Eric went and grabbed the pokeball with the rogue pokemon inside.

As he picked up the pokeball, he saw Shelly helping Nathan up to her shoulder. It seems she didn't notice what Eric has done with the pokemon. "What happened?" She asked.

"I did what was necessary." Eric replied. "The damage you guys have done tonight, it is best if you did not mention it to anyone. Not especially your boss."

Shelly nodded. "And you?"

"Do not concern yourself for us." Eric said. "You better leave before day light comes. People would wonder what the Pandoras are doing here in this situation."

Shelly simply nodded again, and she took off with her wounded partner. Then walked towards the trees and simply vanished. Eric returned his Kirlia and realized that Amy was still sleeping nearby.

"*sigh* Today's been a mess." Eric put on his eye-patch and picked up both Amy and her Kirlia with both his arm. "At least I now know that the counter method works. But the rogue pokemons. No, it's best not to mention this to Amy, or anybody else. I might have to tell Rebecca at least. Pandoras have really done it." Eric started to walk back to the inn. "They have successfully created the **Shadow** **Pokemons**." And then he closed the door.

* * *

><p>Somewhere in the outskirts of Effegerie Town, Shelly placed the wounded Nathan to a tree and she turned on her Xtransciever; attempting to call someone she didn't want to call when they failed their mission.<p>

* * *

><p>Somewhere really far, inside an office with an aquarium with Carvannas swimming inside, a lone figure was sitting by his desk. A ringing was coming from the telephone sitting by his elbow. The figure picked up the receiver and began speaking.<p>

"Have you done it?" The man spoke.

_"The mission was a failure, I'm sorry Van Damien."_ Shelly said from the other line.

"And you've got the galls to call me for reporting your failed attempt to take out some kids?" The Man's tone was unsettling.

_"It couldn't be helped. When we got to them, one of them hindered our plan. It looked like he was expecting us."_ Shelly responded

"Really now." Van Damien was amused.

_"We even used the rogue pokemon, but it backfired when it nearly killed us. We had to abort."_

"How tragic, I am impressed that you made it out alive. So, who was the rascal that got in your way?"

_"He was just some kid. He had pale skin with Indigo eye, also he wore an eye patch. And he seem to have known a lot about our rogue pokemon project."_

Van Damien thought hard before responding. "I see, thank you for your report Shelly. I want you two to return to the HQ. I have another assignments for both of you."

_"Yes sir. We are sorry for failing you."_ The line went dead afterwards.

Van Damien got up from his sits and looked at the Carvanna fish tank. He began talking to himself. "So, you are still alive, Eric."

* * *

><p><strong>What a long chapter that was. Several things I wish to mention about this chapter. First is about Dean. Now, Dean's relation with Eric is similar to Tai &amp; Matt's (Digimon Adventure), Cecil &amp; Kain's (Final Fantasy IV), and Kat &amp; Raven's (Gravity Rush). All pokemon series need rivals, so I've added one. Second thing is that you guys might have noticed that I changed Heather's Diglet to a Larvitar. The reason I did that was because I needed each characters to have at least two pokemons that could mega evolve. Yes, Mega evolution will be in this story. Third is about Shelly and Nathan, kind of like Jessie and James from the anime. Don't worry, they are not going to recite their team slogan every time they make their appearance each episodes; also they will be ten times stronger than Jessie and James were. Fourth is about Amy's Scizor, in the last chapter I confirmed it that it used to belong to her dad. Back then it was a Scyther, and when its ownership got transferred to Amy while holding a metal coat, it evolved; like how evolves by trading with said item. Some game logic will take place in this story, but at the same time it won't follow <em>every<em> logic; like teaching pokemon moves they couldn't learn in the game. And the final thing is about what happened in the end of this chapter, Eric encountered a shadow pokemon and somehow 'snagged' it. That's right folks, I have brought back the Shadow Pokemons introduced in "Pokemon: Colosseum", and "Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness"; and Eric holds the key to snag them to get them purified. How will that be done? You are going to have to find out in the future. Looks like Eric was more than what he appeared to be, he seemed to have a past with the Pandoras, as Dean mentioned; and he wielded powers which didn't explain how he got them in the first place. Don't worry, it will all be revealed, you'll just going to have to wait. I've been busy lately, so I couldn't edit much on Lakevalor. When I get the time, I might be able to focus on them.**

**Be sure to comment and send reviews, and I'll try to keep in touch. Also, take a look at the sketches I've done on Lakevalor. I'll see you all in the next chapter. Bye.**


	9. Chapter 9 Hydro

**How are you guys? Lately I've noticed how less viewers I've been getting. That does not mean that this story is dying, I'll still continue writing it. Anyway, let's return to the quest at hand.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 9: Hydro<span>**

* * *

><p>Inside a body of a large water, a girl was floating right in the center. She had a frightened look on her face, unable to feel herself, but her mind was still intact; and she knew that she was in danger. The only way to get out was to move, but why couldn't she? In the distance, there was a figure right at her sight of vision. It was coming towards her, fast. As it approached, it took out its fangs and attempted to bite her.<p>

* * *

><p>"Kyahh!" Rebecca woke up right away. The dream was too much for her to handle. The vision of her traumatic experience have come to haunt her again. The moment she wanted to forget, it have been silent for so long; only to return all of the sudden. Rebecca covered her face with her pretty face, she was a bit relieved that she wasn't wearing her glasses at the time. "Ugh...it's happening again. Why?" She remained in her bed, thinking hard until sunrise.<p>

* * *

><p>In the hotel room,four girls were finishing packing up to continue their adventure. They were sitting by the round dining table, enjoying a lovely waffle breakfast. Amy was the one serving, while the rest were sipping on their hot coffees. Young Heather was the only one drinking hot cocoa. Amy joined them to eat her own waffles. A conversation took place after a while.<p>

"You seem tired Amy." Ingrid spoke after seeing Amy snoozing a bit.

"I am." Amy responded. "I had a crazy dream last night. I had a battle against couple of Pandora grunts. I was badass, and my Ralts evolved. I even ended up battling with Eric, both of our Ralts did great."

"I don't think it was a dream though." Ingrid said. "According to our pokedex, your Ralts have evolved into Kirlias, yours and Eric's."

"Huh." Amy thought. "Now that you mention it, that battle _was_ real! But then, I don't remember what happened afterwards though. Ugh, my head."

"Don't feel bad." Ingrid assured. "You aren't the only one who seems sleepless." Ingrid was referring to Rebecca, who was also dozing off. "Hey, brainiac!"

"Huh? What?" Rebecca came around.

"It's rare to see you like this. Did you use your laptop all night, or what?" Ingrid asked.

"I-" Rebecca began. "I just had a bad dream, that's all."

"Well, put yourself together." Ingrid said. "We'll need you to focus to know where to go next after all."

"Alright, I'll try." Rebecca drank some coffee, to help herself wake up. Just, then Eric entered the dining area.

"Good morning!" Amy said. "I guess you got ready little later than scheduled."

"Do not mock me." Eric's tone was unsettling.

"Say, Eric." Amy started. "What happened after that battle we had last night?"

"You don't recall?" Eric asked.

"Not quite." Amy said. "I remember our Ralts evolved to Kirlia, and then something happened but I don't remember for some reason."

"Probably for the best." Eric sounded relieved.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amy demanded.

"I'll get to that later, but first." Eric turned to Rebecca, "I wish to speak to Rebecca, alone."

"Huh? Me?" Rebecca was surprised a bit. "Why?"

"It's best to talk about it in private." Eric spoke with his serious tone, which caught Rebecca's attention. She knew it was important.

"Okay." Rebecca agreed. The two got out of the hotel room to the balcony.

"Wonder what that's all about." Amy asked.

"Who knows?" Ingrid said. "But a boy asking a girl to talk in private is highly suspicious. Could it be that he's confessing to her?"

"What?!" Amy shouted all of the sudden.

"What's with the tone?" Ingrid responded. "I was only joking. Besides, I don't believe that Eric is a dating type. Even if he was, I don't think he'll ask Rebecca of all people to go out."

"Why?" Amy asked.

"An interesting trivia Eric once mentioned to me." Ingrid continued. "He prefers girls that are his own age or younger. He's never interested in older women, I'm not sure why though."

"Really?" Amy thought it was an interesting fact. So there was a type of girls Eric would prefer, it always seemed like nothing mattered to him.

"Still, it makes you wonder," Ingrid rattled on. "what those two are discussing now."

* * *

><p><span>On the balcony.<span>

"-are you serious?" Rebecca was astonished.

"That's right." Eric said. "Your father's hypothesis was accurate, and the proof was demonstrated last night. Looks like we do have a chance against the Pandoras after all. However, I've seen how they fight. Things are going to get very complicated."

"So that pokemon is currently in your party cache now." Rebecca adjusted her glasses and continued. "Will you show it to me?"

"That won't be wise." Eric suggested. "The pokemon is powerful, but it is unstable. It was unable to control its powers when the grunt had it use one of those 'Shadow moves', it attempted to subjugate him rather violently."

"What?" Rebecca was surprised. "But pokemons can't harm humans, let alone kill them!"

"Normal pokemons wouldn't, but we should know by now that these pokemons can't be considered 'normal' anymore." Eric seemed serious.

"Pandoras." Rebecca breathed harshly. "How can they...?" She tailed off.

"Amy's father," Eric began. "He too was killed by them. I'm sure of it."

"Positive?" Rebecca asked.

"Amy described his death quite well, despite the traumatic sequence." Eric said. "But if that's true, that means Pandoras were involved with the incident that occurred 8 years ago, which was also around the same time Amy's father died, it can't all be coincidence."

"What do we do then?" Rebecca questioned. "Should we tell the others about the issues at hand? They should at least know what we are really dealing with."

"You may be right." Eric thought. "But if they knew the truth, would that get them to continue fight? It is as your father said, we must make ourselves stronger first, otherwise they would quiver in fear and may not want to join in the conflict anymore. We need to give them winning hopes first before they find out, or our odds against the Pandoras will crumble."

"But we are risking their lives one way or the other." Rebecca reminded.

"I know." Eric replied. "But we mustn't show fears now, we may haven't gone far; but we can't turn back on this mission. Don't worry, if worst is to come I'll be the one fighting them head on. After all, only I can capture those pokemons."

"Eric I..." Rebecca hesitated for a bit before saying. "I know that I meant to keep others from harm but...I also meant it for your safety as well. It may be true that you wield the means to take them out, but we don't want you to take risks for our sake too."

"Are you concerned about me?" Eric asked. "Don't be. As you recall I have once caused pain for both you and your father. Consider it the toll for me to pay for all that."

"Eric..." Rebecca tailed off.

Eric looked at the time on his Xtransciever. "Good god, we should get moving. Who knows what the Pandoras would do while we waste our time here. Let's regroup and continue." Eric opened the balcony door and turned to Rebecca again. "Keep what we discussed just now a secret from the others." And then he went back in. And then Rebecca followed, feeling uneasy.

* * *

><p>The group was whole again and they already started walking out of Effegerie town. They were lucky enough to avoid any eye contact from other civilians, just in case they could recognize them from the Pandoras' search warrant posters for them. They were walking smoothly towards the road ahead. Rebecca fell behind, feeling distraught for some reason. Eric, who has noticed the uneasiness in her, approached her.<p>

"Are you still concerned about what we discussed?" Eric asked.

"What?" Rebecca responded, all too quickly.

"You've been acting odd lately." Eric said. "It didn't seem like your usual self. If it's about our talk earlier, then don't worry about it. I'll worry about all that."

Eric's kind tone was soothing her. "Thanks Eric, but it's not about what we talked about at all."

"Is it not?" Eric asked.

"Yeah." Rebecca responded. "The truth is, I had a nightmare this morning. A bit of a reminder of my cruel experience when I was little."

"Did it have to do with when you accidently fell off a boat and nearly drowned?" Eric asked.

"How did you-" Rebecca couldn't believe how Eric managed to get it right in the first guess.

"Your dad told me about it once." Eric confessed. "During a family vacation at the cruise, you dropped your glasses at the body of water and foolishly tried to get it back by going after it. You tried swimming but instead you were frozen, quivering in fear of how deep the water was. And then, before you could react, a water pokemon lunged right towards you. I can only imagine how shocking that must have been, considering how you were immobilized underwater. Luckily, they got you out before the pokemon could get to you."

"Ugh." Rebecca was surprised how father told the story to Eric in great details. The memory only reminded her hatred to the ocean.

"So you still remember it." Eric said softly. "And you still fear the water, don't you?"

"How can I forget?" Rebecca spoke. "Every time I try, the event keeps popping in my head. And when I do forget, it comes back in my dream."

"You are going to have to fight that fear somehow." Eric said. "Our journey will include traveling in the ocean, after all."

"Couldn't we just fly?" Rebecca was hoping.

"We might if we could strengthen our flying pokemons for a bit more." Eric said. "But by the time that's done, we would have to travel to the farther side of the region, which is separated by a large river. And the path to that river might not take longer than you think. Don't worry, I'll help you get through it all when you need it."

Eric's kindness was getting to her now. Rebecca felt relieved to hear his support. "Thank you Eric."

"Hey guys!" Amy called them from the distance at front. "We reached that junction you guys mentioned. Where do we go from here?"

"Hm, let me see." Rebecca went towards the sign post which Amy was reading. She glanced at the two separate passage the signpost was pointing at. One was a mountain path, and the other was a lake path. Rebecca gulped hard at the second option.

"Oh god." Rebecca began. 'Why did it have to be a lake?' She thought to herself.

"Let's see." Amy began. "Should we take a rough, treacherous, and a brutal mountain path? Or should we take the peaceful, calm, and a simple lake path? Oh I think I know the which path I want to walk in." Amy said with a cheery tone.

"Uh, I know the mountain section might be brutal." Rebecca suddenly said. "But the mountain path might help us toughen us up a bit, don't you think?"

"I guess but," Amy replied. "after the cave exploring we had the other day, I'm not in the mood for any rocky roads. Besides, it's nice to walk by the calm lake with fresh atmosphere."

"But, it could help us build characters, as Eric say. Right?" Rebecca turned to Eric, hoping he would agree.

"Only if we can manage it." Eric responded. "Don't forget that, one of us is inexperienced with adventuring; so taking the rougher road can take our stamina away harshly. In order to avoid any unnecessary troubles, we should start slowly by taking the easier path for now."

Rebecca felt down, she was feeling uneasy already. She wasn't looking forward to travel by the large body of water. Eric approached her and attempted to whisper by her ears.

"Let this be the opportunity to help you fight your fear. Don't worry, we are simply walking _by_ them; we won't even need to go _in_ the waters." Eric was already aware of how she felt about the lake path. He used this chance to tell her not to worry.

"O...okay then." Rebecca adjusted her glasses and took a deep breath.

"Alright then, lake path it is!" Amy turned to face forward. "Lets go!" The group started walking.

* * *

><p>The route was surrounded by greenish trees, many pokemons were hiding inside these trees, as were some wild ones hiding behind the bushes. But even with so many trees, the main attraction was the gigantic lake that was within the area. The lake surface reflected the dazzling sunlight and although it can't be seen clearly, there were pokemons inside them. As they got closer to the lake, Amy ran right towards it. She stopped right at the edge and then took a deep breath.<p>

"Ahh!" Amy exhaled. "I love a good air of the lake. I wish I could go swim in it, even if it's for just a little while."

"Amy, you know we aren't here to play." Eric stepped forward. "As we waste time, Pandoras could attack another city any minute."

"I know, it's a wishful thinking." Amy pouted. "Still, I think we should relax here while we are at it. Who knows when we will get the chance to see place like this again?"

"You have a point there." Ingrid agreed. "This atmosphere is perfect for a picnic. I think resting should be in order."

"I like it here too." Heather also agreed.

Rebecca didn't like the idea however, she was holding onto herself as if she's feeling a chill down her spine.

"You guys do know that it wasn't that long since we started since morning." Eric spoke, noticing Rebecca's uneasiness.

"So what?" Amy said. "Even if we started moving now, where do you think that it would take us? Let's just take things slow and relax for a while. Besides, the lake might have a useful wild pokemons for us to use."

"How do you intend to catch them without entering the lake?" Eric asked.

"Don't worry." Amy smiled. "I have just a tool!" Amy grabbed her bag and tried to get something out of it. After a few seconds, she took out some kind of a gadget. It was red, metallic, and had a reeling wind.

"What's that?" Ingrid asked, looking at the device.

Amy unfolded the device into its longer form. The item she brought out was some kind of a fishing rod. "This, is a Super Rod! My dad used this to catch wild fish pokemons in the lake when I was little. I packed it, hoping to fish as we travel."

"Hm, you were very prepared for all this adventuring business, weren't you?" Eric seemed amused.

"So," Amy looked at her companions. "Do you guys want to try it? It'll be fun!"

"You guys go ahead." Rebecca began seating while holding onto her knees. "I think I'm gonna have to pass."

"Aw C'mon Rebecca." Amy said. "It's nice to have fun once in a while. I always see you using your laptop, so let's try to enjoy the outdoor activities too while you are at it. Fishing is easy! All you have to do is-"

"I SAID I'LL PASS!" Rebecca screamed all of the sudden. Her outburst made everyone flinch a bit, the outburst even surprised her. "-please." Rebecca begged.

"...sorry I..." Amy felt like she offended her. "I was just trying to lighten you up..."

"Geez Rebecca." Ingrid spoke. "What's the matter with you? What caused your unlikely behavior?"

"I'm sorry." Rebecca apologized. "but please don't let me go near that lake...please..."

"What's wrong?" Amy asked.

Eric stepped forward, he wondered why she would even bother hide it from them. "Rebecca's...afraid of water."

The group looked at her, unable to grasp the fact. "Is...that true?" Ingrid asked.

"Yes it is." Rebecca answered, feeling embarrassed. "Pathetic, right? An oldest in the group who's afraid of water; like a juvenile who hasn't gotten even used to the kiddy pool yet. I'm a disgrace."

"So what?" Amy said. She approached Rebecca and patted her shoulder. "Everyone is afraid of something. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, so there's nothing to be ashamed of." Amy paused. "Wait, so is this why you were reluctant to take the lake path earlier?"

Rebecca only nodded.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Amy asked. "We could have just gone up the mountain for your sake then!"

"No, it's as Eric surmised." Rebecca said. "I should learn to face my fear. I'm sorry I shouted at you Amy. I couldn't help it when it comes to facing water."

"It's okay Rebecca." Amy assured. "I'm sorry that I didn't realize it sooner." Amy got up and turned to everybody else. "I guess we won't be using this then." Amy tried to put her super rod away.

"No, it's alright." Rebecca assured. "Feel free to use it to catch pokemons. I'll learn to manage."

"Are you sure?" Ingrid asked.

"Positive." Rebecca answered.

"Okay then." Amy holded onto her super rod ad tried to give it to someone. "So, who wants to have a go?"

"I will try." Ingrid volunteered. She took Amy's rod and approached the lake.

"You know how it works?" Amy asked.

"I never fished before." Ingrid admitted. "But I have seen how it is used on TV. I'm sure I can manage." Ingrid aimed the rod to her rear, and then tossed the line towards the water. The hook entered the water, and then all that was left to do was to wait.

"How long do I have to wait?" Ingrid wondered.

"You have to wait until something takes the line." Eric answered. "If you see a single movement, you have to pull it and then reel it back as fast as you can."

"Wow, have you fished before Eric?" Amy asked, delighted to know that Eric knew the method of fishing.

"Once or twice." Eric replied.

"I feel like something is about to take the line in any minute." And she was right. Something underneath grabbed the line and pulled it under.

"Hey I caught something!" Ingrid was excited.

"Quick! Reel it back!" Amy cried.

The dark-clothed girl reeled the line as fast as she could. Despite the loss of stamina, her determination never died. She didn't want to lose her first catch with the super rod. After a while, something indeed popped out of the lake. It was a bizarre, star-shaped pokemon.

"Hya!" The pokemon cried.

"Oooh! A Staryu!" Amy said. "Not bad for your first catch!"

"Thank you." Ingrid was also proud of herself.

"It's not over yet." Eric said. "To truly earn this pokemon, you have to battle it and then claim it by catching it. Basically, fishing leads to another wild pokemon battle."

"If that's the case then-" Ingrid took out one of her pokeballs. "Go, Roselia!" Ingrid tossed to summon.

"Rose~!" The Roselia cried right when it spawned.

The Staryu spun around in mid-air and started firing star-shaped lasers at Roselia, it was clear that the move was **Swift**.

"So that's how it wants to play huh?" Ingrid was now fired up for this battle. "Roselia! Fire your **Venoshock** at it!"

"Ara~!" The Roselia fired a sludge-like blasters from its Rose like arms and shot them right at Staryu, the move managed to pierce through the Staryu's **Swift** attack. The sludge blast landed a hit on the Staryu, but the pokemon was still on the field.

"Hyah!" The Staryu shot out its next move, **Bubblebeam**. It fired a blast of bubbles from its center core and shot the bullet like bubbles right at Roselia. Although the move managed to hit it, Roselia didn't back down.

"That's right, stay strong." Ingrid said. "Now use **Energy Ball** on it!"

"Rosa!" The Roselia fired its green uranium blast from its arm as if they were fired from cannons. The blast landed on the Staryu, and finally the pokemon fell to the ground. As it landed, the pokemon's center piece lit on and off, indicating that it was unable to battle.

"You're mine now." Ingrid grabbed an empty pokeball and tossed it right at Staryu. The ball hit the pokemon and began shaking. It shook once, twice, thrice, and then clicked. The pokemon was captured. "Yes! I've caught it!" Ingrid was twirling in excitement.

"Good work." Eric complimented.

"That was awsome!" Amy also congratulated her.

Rebecca watched them, she didn't express it but she was also happy for Ingrid's success. While they were all enjoying themselves, Heather picked up the Super Rod and then grabbed the baiting end. She placed the end on the water surface and waited for a while. Just then, a random pokemon popped out. Heather saw that it was a Horsea. She crouched towards the pokemon and talked to it. As she said hi to it, it also responded with a happy greet. The two greeted while the others talked about the fishing techniques. Amy went and grabbed her Super Rod.

"Okay, I think that's enough for today." Amy was about to put her rod away by folding it.

"Wait." Rebecca suddenly said. They all looked at her, who was just starting to stand back up. "Let..." Rebecca hesitated and said. "...let me give it a try."

Amy, who was still holding onto her super rod, was actually surprised. She was now beginning to feel concern for the girl who was adamant about fishing earlier because of her fear of water. "Are you sure?" Amy asked, concerned.

"Best chance to try and face it." Rebecca grabbed Amy's super rod, took off her bag, and took a deep breath. "I won't back out on this. I want to get this fear out of my head and just end it." Rebecca began walking slowly towards the water. She was shaking with the rod but she never stopped. She looked at the lake, in her vision it looked like a large ocean that was about to take her to her possible doom. As she made it to the edge of the lake, she stopped on her tracks and closed her eyes. 'There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just water, you bathe in it everyday, there's nothing to fear.' But the vision of her past experience involving the cruise incident reemerged. When it displayed the pokemon coming right at her, she quickly opened her eyes. When she did, the lake was calm as ever. Rebecca adjusted her glasses and stood firmly before attempting to swing the super rod. She took one step back, aimed the rod behind her, and swung it to release the line. The line surprisingly went very far. The baiting end began floating on the lake surface.

"Wow," Amy said. "I'm impressed Rebecca! You actually managed to toss it in your first try."

"Thanks." Rebecca sheepishly said. "That...was actually pretty easy!" She admitted, feeling relieved that it felt plainly normal. She took a long pause and said, "Um...now what?"

"Now we wait." Eric advised. The group stared at the line for several seconds until the end made a movement.

"That's it!" Amy cried. "Pull it and Reel it back!"

"Uh, okay." Rebecca panicked for a bit and began reeling the line back as fast as she could while pulling the rod. As she winded the reel, the line quickly approached her. For some reason, it capture felt really easy. Was fishing for the first time really that simple?

As the end of the line finally reached the edge of the lake, it was at last revealed what Rebecca managed to catch. The whole group took a glance at it with weird looks on their faces. The pokemon that got caught just now was simply shaking itself really hard, and it continuously did just that.

"Wow..." Rebecca was just as puzzled as others were. "It's...a Magikarp. Not bad for my first try...right?" She stared back at her comrades, who still looked bewildered by her catch. "Is there something wrong?" Rebecca wondered, unable to grasp their odd stares.

"Well it's just that..." Amy began. "...you weren't supposed to be able catch a Magikarp with a super rod..."

"Pardon?" Rebecca replied.

"Yes." Eric was also puzzled with the oddity. "It's also my first time seeing a Magikarp being captured with a super rod. They are only caught with old rod and good rod."

"Yet Rebecca managed to do it." Ingrid said. "I know you had a talent for hacking, but...did you also hack the rod to do this too?"

"I...have no idea..." Rebecca could only say. "But at least I fished! Looks like waters weren't so bad as I thought it was huh?"

Just then, something popped right out of the waters behind her, something massive and angry. The groups all saw it, staring right back at them behind Rebecca, who was unaware of its presence.

"Did..." Rebecca began. "Did something happened behind me just now?"

"Rebecca." Eric said with a tone that worried her. "Don't look now, but there is a large Gyarados looking right at you."

"Wha..." Rebecca started to turn her head real slowly, and saw that Eric was correct. There was a giant blue sea dragon pokemon looking right at Rebecca, who was holding onto a rod that had a Magikarp hanging on its end. The pokemon was full of rage and started letting out a roar.

"GGRRAARRLL!" The pokemon made a large cry, startling the whole group.

"That Magikarp she caught must have been its child. This isn't good." Amy said.

The pokemon began to reveal its rage, by force.

"Rebecca! Watch out!" Eric cried when the pokemon began brandishing its water-covered tail. It tried to use **Aquatail** on Rebecca, who was standing in fear. The attack was about to hit her when...

"Use **Protect**!" Eric gave a command right after throwing his pokeball to summon a pokemon. His Kirlia popped out and got in between Rebecca and the Gyarados's range of attack. It summoned a greenish barrier and blocked the attack to protect her.

The Gyarados backed off for a bit, realizing that it failed to land a hit to its target.

"C'mon! Let's help him!" Ingrid advised to Amy.

"Right!" Amy agreed. The two girls send out their own pokemons to assist Eric in an unexpected battle.

"Go Shroomish!" Amy cried and summoned her friend out.

"You help out too." Ingrid commanded her Roselia, who was already out of her ball.

"Shroo!" Cried the Shroomish.

"Ara~." Said the Roselia.

The Gyarados looked at its opponents and began twirling to perform its other move. It's twirl caused a giant **Twister** to come out, which then began rampaging right at them.

"Look out!" Cried Eric.

The group made a run for it to avoid the rampaging twister. The Gyarados got out of the water and crawled out to fight on land.

"So it wants to fight huh." Eric was amused.

"Let's give it one then!" Amy said. "Shroomish! Shot out your **Absorb**!"

"Shroo!" The Shroomish began taking some health from the large pokemon, The Gyarados was not amused. It then blasting its **Hydro Pump** all over the field. The blast of water soaked the ground and the trainers started moving to avoid them.

"Roselia! Shot your **Energy Ball**!" Ingrid commanded.

"Rose!" Roselia shot its uranium ball from its flower arms and the move landed on the Gyarados. Upon hit, Gyarados went into the water and swam around the circular lake. The pokemon reappeared right behind Eric, equipped with its water covered tail.

"Crap..." Before Eric could run, the pokemon brandished its tail and hit Eric, sending him across the field and right into a tree. "Ugh..." The force made him hit the tree on his back hard, and he was down.

"Eric!" Amy cried to Eric. The Gyarados was about to fire another **Hydro Pump **at the field the trainers were on.

"Watch Out!" Ingrid made the call, and they all scattered to avoid the blast of waters firing from the Gyarados's mouth. After it stopped blasting, Amy quickly approached the pokemon.

"That's it! You are going down! Shroomish! Use your **Stun Spore** thingy on it!"

"Shroo!" The Shroomish shot out its yellow powder at the Gyarados, the move made the pokemon feel uneasy and it began to shake itself uncomfortably. While all this was happening, Rebecca and Heather went to Eric to see if he was okay.

"Eric! Wake up!" Rebecca begged. Eric was conscious but he was in pain to stand up. Rebecca now stared at the battle between Amy, Ingrid and the wild Gyarados. They were having a hard time and Eric was incapacitated. For the first time, she felt helpless. She wanted to fight, but her fear of water pokemons prevented her. She remembered back when she fell in the water when she was little, the pokemon that was coming for her before the cruise associates got her out looked exactly like the one she was seeing. She was trembling. She knew she had to do something, it was either face her fear or let her friends suffer. Rebecca realizes that helping her companions was a lot more important now. She tried gathering some courage within her and decided to face it head on. "Heather."

"Yes?" Asked the girl holding onto a Horsea.

"Look after Eric, okay?" Rebecca stood up. "I'm going to help them." She then walked towards the battle.

"Good luck." Heather said.

Rebecca ran across the area, despite how the soaked up the field was. She took out one of her pokeball and decided to engage the wild pokemon.

"Guys!" Rebecca cried to her comrades. Ingrid and Amy were surprised to see Rebecca. Looks like it was going to be three on one now. "I'll handle this." Or not.

"Rebecca, what about your fear of water?" Amy asked, concerned. "Will you be alright?"

"I'm coming towards reality from mentality." Rebecca assured. "I'll be fine. I'm going to face my fear." She began sending out her pokemon. "Go Magnamite!"

"Magna." Out came the discharging orb pokemon.

"Grr." The Gyarados was still focused. It did not care who its opponent was, as long as it can fight it. It was beginning to perform its **Hyper Beam** attack.

"Magnamite! use **Mirror Shot** on it!" Rebecca commanded.

"Yes Ma'am!" The metallic pokemon gathered a small plutonium white energy in front of itself and shot it at the spinning Gyarados. Upon impact; flashing light was made. The light made the Gyarados lose its focus.

"There we go! Now use **Thundershock**!" She said.

"~Magna~!" The Magnamite began charging up electricity and fired it at the pokemon. The move dealt good amount of damage on it.

"Garr!" But the Gyarados was still standing. It now tried to fight with its **Aquatail**.

"Use **Sparks**!" Rebecca decided that it was now time to attack physically.

"Yes ma'am!" The Magnamite obeyed her command, it then charged itself right towards the Gyarados's aquatic tail swing. The tail swing pushed the Magnamite away, but thanks to the electrical force, the move also managed to hurt the Gyarados. The Gyarados got back on its stance, although it had the strength to fight it felt numb for some reason.

"It must be behaving strangely because of the paralysis from the **Stun Spore**. I'm gonna have to take that as an opportunity." Rebecca spproached towards her pokemon and had it get back up. "Magnamite! Fire your **Thundershock** once more!"

"Yes ma'am!" The Magnamite brought out its electrical attack again. The Gyarados avoided the move by diving underwater. It spun itself to blast its **Twister** move. The attack was aimed at the Magnamite, and it took severe damage from it. The pokemon fell to the ground, being all beaten up.

"Magnamite!" Rebecca ran towards her pokemon to tend to it. "Are you okay? I should have you abort for now and-"

But the Magnamite floated away, it was determined to continue fighting for some reason.

"But you are hurt...I...I don't want you to suffer so much for my sake..."

"...no..." The Magnamite refused to retreat. It wanted to finish the battle on its own.

"Are you sure?" Rebecca asked.

"yes..." Said the pokemon.

Rebecca stared at her own pokemon for a while. Although she was against it to continue, there was no way to break its fighting spirit. "Very well then." She stood up. "Now approached the Gyarados carefully. And then when it comes out, attack."

"Yes ma'am." And it did just that. As it got towards the lake where the Gyarados was, it began inspecting it. Then out of nowhere, the Gyarados popped out from its left.

"Now use **Discharge**!" Rebecca reacted right away.

"Yes ma'am!" The Magnamite blasted it large electrical wave at the water dragon and dealt massive damage on it.

"Gyarr!" The Gyarados held back.

"Great work!" Rebecca cheered for her pokemon's courage.

"Thank...you..." The Magnamite accepted the comment. Suddenly, the pokemon glowed. It was a sign of its sudden growth into another form. Its shape was normal, but the pokemon's body divided into three. As it stopped glowing, it revealed its transformation, the result from its effort.

"Maganamite..." Rebecca started. "No...you are now a Magnaton." Rebecca adjusted her glasses, she was feeling very proud of her pokemon, and to herself.

But the Gyarados wasn't finished, it popped right back out, and it was about to bring out its rage again.

"ROOAARR!" The Gyarados let out a roar.

"Doesn't hat thing ever give up?" Amy was bewildered.

"Don't worry." Rebecca assured. "We aren't finished either. Right Magnaton?"

"Affirmative." Magnaton said.

"Now, finish it off with **Shockwave**!" She commanded.

"Yes ma'am." The Magnaton seperated its unified body and they all circumnavigated around the Gyarados. They all began charging up their electricities. As it spun, the electrical force also circulated. After a few seconds, it released the electricities, causing massive damage on the Gyarados. It let out its agonizing shrieks as it got shock from the attack. After the damage was done, the Gyarados was smoking; unable to feel its own body.

"Alright!" Rebecca exclaimed over her victory. "Excellent work Magnaton! We won, we-"

"Rebecca! Watch out!" Amy yelled out when she saw that the roasted Gyarados was beginning to fall out of balance. And it was falling right towards Rebecca, who was standing at the edge close to the lake.

"Huh?" But Rebecca noticed a seconds too late, and when the Gyarados crashed right by her, she lost her own balance. And just before Rebecca could realize, she fell in the water.

"Rebecca!" Amy cried for her and ran towards the lake. She approached the water, hoping that she was there. But no matter how hard she searched for her, there was no sign of Rebecca. Her concerns grew, and Amy decided to take the noble course by going in after her.

"Stop." Amy heard a familiar voice calling her. The voice couldn't be anyone else's besides Eric's. It looked like he recovered from his incapacitation. Amy stared at him with bewilderment as she saw him taking off his jacket and his shoes. "I'll get her." and then he dived into the lake.

* * *

><p>Rebecca was dropping slowly into the bottom of the murky water. She was terrified by her surroundings, unable to move; feeling trapped. The water was warm, but it looked like she was freezing in it. She was starting to think that this was her time, subjugated by her worst nightmare. Her mind went back to when she had the similar experience back when she was a little girl.<p>

Young Rebecca was sightseeing by the starboard side of a cruise, away from her parents' supervision. She was staring down at the water where several Finneons were swimming in. Curious about them, she crouched closer to the water, but she got too close. Due to the ship's rocking, Rebecca lost balance and as a result her glasses fell off her ears.

The girl tried to reach for it, but she couldn't see well. As she placed herself further down to the lake without knowing, she fell in. The girl felt helpless as she struggled to keep herself on the surface, she tried calling for help but the water pressure made it hard for her to even scream. Her strength wasn't enough to help her stay on the water, so eventually she began sinking. She was frozen underwater, unable to get out on her own, and the pressure just kept making it worst. But the worst has yet to begun. Staring right in front. Rebecca saw a figure. It looked small at first, but as it came for her, its size started to get bigger. It came for her quick, it raised its fang to grab a bite of her. And in a split seconds, something else grabbed her. A person's hand got her out of the water before the pokemon could. She was saved by her mom, who was able to reach her with the help of the cruise rescue team.

But her mom was no more, and the situation has returned to her. Who was to get her out now? Just then, she looked like she saw a figure coming for her. A male figure was swimming right at her, her concsious was too hazy for her to see right. The figure grabbed her and tried to get her out as fast as he could. It was only a matter of time before they made it back to the top. As they did however, Rebecca's consciousness faded away, her mind and body were at their limits.

* * *

><p>Eric popped out of the water, while holding onto Rebecca's unconscious body. He managed to get both himself and her towards the edge. Before getting himself out, he placed Rebecca on the grassy land, Amy and Ingrid helped him get her into position. After a while, they inspected her to see any signs of harm. Rebecca was unconscious, did she passed on?<p>

"Rebecca..." Ingrid started. "She's not...is she?"

Amy was standing with her hands on her mouth, unable to grasp the situation. "Rebecca..."

Rebecca's Magnaton was floating by her, trying to use its magnet looking hand as a defibrillator.

"Don't." Eric suggested against it. "Rebecca's soaked, so shocking her might get her killed." Magnaton backed off after hearing Eric's warnings. Eric then grabbed her wrist to see any signs of pulse.

"Is she okay?" Amy hoped. Heather was only staring while holding onto her Horsea friend.

"Her pulse is functioning." Eric assured. "But she's gone through a shock, and she's unable to breath due to the amount of waters she swallowed."

"Can you do something?" Ingrid asked.

"I can." Eric said. "I just hope that it works." Eric removed Rebecca's glasses off her eyes and started pumping at her chest. "Ingrid, try to warm her up."

Ingrid did as she were told, and casted a fire magic to make fire on her hand. She then placed the flame close to Rebecca to keep her warm. Eric pumped up her chest few times and checked to see if her heart was functioning. After hearing no sign of pulse, he blocked her nose and placed his mouth to hers. He breathed in her mouth slowly and then continued pressing her chest. He repeated this step for a long time. Amy was just watching, hoping for her to wake up anytime soon. Heather watched while kneeling. after minutes of performing CPR, he pressed her chest harder. And for the final time, he gave mouth to mouth and passed on his air through her throat for a moment too long.

And then, she came around at long last.

"*gasp*! *Cough* Cough*..." Rebecca squirted out some water out of her mouth and began coughing. She was unsure of what just happened, and simply took a moment to take it all in.

"Oh thank god..." Amy was sighing in relief and grabbed and hugged Rebecca in joy. "I thought you were a goner!"

"Wha...what happened...?" Rebecca looked around, but couldn't see a thing. She then felt something cold touch her, she knew that its coldness belonged to her Magnaton, which pressed itself in joy.

"Here." Eric got her glasses and began putting it back on her eyes. "You'll need this to see."

Rebecca began seeing things clearly now, she also remembered what had happened. "I thought...I thought I was being swallowed by the water for good that time..."

"Eric managed to get you out." Ingrid said. "But when he did, you weren't breathing."

"The waters got into your systems, and managed to clog up your lungs," Eric said. "so I did the only thing that was clearly best to handle under the circumstances."

Rebecca was comprehending where he was going with all this. "You..." Rebecca blushed by the idea she realized. "did you perform mouth to mouth on me?"

"I was lucky to know CPR, or we'd never have been able to save you. I'm glad that you were alright, despite you facing your fear directly." Eric reminded her. "But I have to say, I was impressed by how you handled that Gyarados earlier with your Magnaton. Though you couldn't beat it, you have faced your fear magnificently; and that's all that matters."

"Well..." Rebecca adjusted her glasses. "I still managed to beat that Gyarados, so I don't really care. But I will learn to get over it someday."

"So what now?" Amy asked, the situation was handled, and all the problems were solved. The question was now, what they were to do now.

"I think we had enough of the water today." Ingrid said. "I say we get out of here as soon as possible."

"Well said." Eric said. "Before we do though, Rebecca, what would you want to do with the Magikarp you obtained from fishing?"

Eric's question made everyone remember what caused the Gyarados to attack them in the first place, the pokemon that was still hooked to Amy's super rod and was flopping helpless. There was two options available, and it was up to Rebecca to choose. Will she set it free, or keep it?

"Well there's no way I'm letting all this event happen unrewarded, so..." Rebecca threw her empty pokeball at the Magikarp. She have made her decision. The ball caught the Magikarp without it struggling to get out. Rebecca have managed to add a pokemon to her party cache. Eric approached her and gave her a pat on her shoulder.

"You may not have gotten over your fear entirely," Eric spoke with a soft tone. "but there are always myriad of opportunity to those who are willing to face their fear for the sake of those you care about. You have proved yourself worthy to be one of those people today by deciding to face that Gyarados on your own Rebecca. I'm sure your dad would have been proud of you."

Rebecca wiped her face in embarrassment before speaking. "Thank you Eric..."

"So now that we got that taken care of," Amy began as she folded her super rod and put it back in her bag.. "can we move on now? I'm ready to continue this adventure of ours."

"Very well." Eric answered. "Let us proceed."

The group all have gotten up and have started to walk towards their current path. They were now heading towards a zone which seemed to be a much more hazardous territory up ahead. Regardless, they awaits to beat time and take down the Pandoras once and for all. Eric was also beginning to move, until Rebecca stopped him.

"Say, Eric?" Rebecca said as she grabbed his arm.

"Yes?" Eric turned to Rebecca after putting his jacket back on. As he turned, he felt a sudden peck to his cheek. He then realized that Rebecca has just gave him a kiss, her gratitude felt overcompensating when he blushed.

"Thanks for everything." She said, feeling happy. She then walked passed him, keeping herself from facing the lake again.

Eric touched where she kissed him, although he was surprised at first, he was happy to see her herself again. "You're quite welcome." He said quietly.

The trainers all gathered afterwards, and moved into the forest up ahead. They were now walking towards the "Pests Zone".

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry about posting this late, although seeing how no one has even read my last chapter yet I don't think that it really matters. Anyway this filler was added to give the characters' a chance to improve their pokemons. Learn to get used to reading chapters like this, because I might be posting them a lot for this story. Don't worry, I will try to make them less boring. <strong>

**Anyway, lately I thought that it was boring to just end a chapter with a simple comment, therefore from now on; I am going to finish it off by adding random trivias about myself. I won't be exposing my real life profile, only my opinions to the internet medias like games, books, mangas, and movies. Here's a start.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Top 5 "Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance" male characters:<strong>

**5. Rhys - Good healer, and the only character who can use the light tomes in Path of Radiance.**

**4. Soren - Useful with wind tomes, especially against enemy fliers. **

**3. Volke - Out of the two thieves in the game, he's the only one that can promote. When he does promote, he can learn the "instant kill" skill, very unique.**

**2. Boyd - This guy was very strong when I used him, very easy to raise really. The only good axe user besides Jill that I ever used.**

**1. Ike - Not because he was the main character, but because he was literally the best character to use in the game. Seriously, he owns with his Aether skill.**

**Top 5 "Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance" female characters:**

**5. Marcia - Not the best looking girl, but she was strong nevertheless. She's very useful when equipped with item that protects fer from arrows.**

**4. Mia - This chick kicks ass with Astra.**

**3. Jill - Jill's pretty strong, as well as being cute. There is a way to make her an enemy again, of course that's something I'll never do.**

**2. Ilyana - I find her a bit more useful than Soren. Her lightning tome was handy against enemy Dragon laguz. Think she's cute as she was earlier? Try promoting her and she'll become even sexier.**

**1. Nephenee - One of the best character in the game. Seriously, she dominated nearly a full quarter of the entire enemy army in the enemy turn. It's worth having her.**

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><p><strong>Random, as I said earlier. I hope I will be able to post the next chapter. It might not be sooner than this one, but having a new chapter late is better than none at all. Leave comments, and have a nice day!<strong>


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